The Green Bay Packers are shaking up their coaching staff this offseason, and one of the more intriguing moves is the addition of Noah Pauley as the team’s new wide receivers coach. Pauley, who most recently held the same role at Penn State, is no stranger to developing NFL-caliber talent - and he’s no stranger to one of Green Bay’s top offensive weapons either.
Pauley’s coaching journey has been a steady climb through the college ranks. He started at Minnesota-Duluth, where he doubled as receivers coach and offensive coordinator from 2016 to 2018.
From there, he moved to North Dakota State, a program known for producing pros, and served as receivers coach from 2019 to 2022. That’s where he first crossed paths with Christian Watson, who developed into a top-40 NFL Draft pick under Pauley’s guidance.
That connection alone makes this hire worth watching for Packers fans.
In 2023, Pauley followed Matt Campbell to Iowa State, taking on the dual role of receivers coach and passing game coordinator by 2024. While there, he helped shape the careers of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both of whom were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft - Higgins at No. 34 and Noel at No.
- That’s three top-80 picks in just a few years, all from Pauley’s receiver room.
The track record speaks for itself.
Now, Pauley makes the jump to the NFL, joining a Packers offense that’s been retooling around young talent. His familiarity with Watson is an obvious bonus, but his broader résumé - developing receivers with different skill sets and backgrounds - suggests he’s well-equipped to elevate the entire position group in Green Bay.
What’s less clear is what this means for Ryan Mahaffey, who was promoted to wide receivers coach in 2024 after previously serving as the assistant offensive line coach. That question was answered shortly after the Pauley news broke: Mahaffey is heading to Philadelphia to become the Eagles’ run game coordinator and tight ends coach, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Technically, the Packers could have blocked Mahaffey’s move if he was still under contract - the same way they could’ve intervened with several other assistants who departed this offseason. But head coach Matt LaFleur seems content to let his staff pursue new opportunities, even if it means rebuilding parts of his coaching tree. It’s a notable approach in a league where teams often protect their assistants from lateral moves.
There’s also a bit of symmetry to Pauley’s arrival. Back in 2022, the same year Watson was drafted, Pauley spent two months in Green Bay as part of the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship. That brief stint may have laid the groundwork for this full-circle return.
Meanwhile, the Packers still have a key vacancy to fill on the offensive side of the ball: quarterbacks coach. Sean Mannion, who held the role last season, has left to become the play-calling offensive coordinator for the Eagles.
With Mahaffey and Mannion both heading to Philly, Green Bay’s offensive staff is undergoing a significant transition. Expect the team to move quickly to fill that QB coach role in the coming weeks.
This offseason has already seen a flurry of coaching movement across the league - including Mike LaFleur, Matt’s younger brother, taking over as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and bringing in familiar names like Nathaniel Hackett. Several defensive assistants from Green Bay have also left to join Jeff Hafley’s new staff in Miami.
But in the midst of all this change, the Packers may have found a key piece in Pauley. His track record developing receivers is proven, and his connection with Watson could help unlock even more from the young wideout. As Green Bay continues to build around its emerging core, Pauley’s arrival adds another layer of intrigue to a team that’s clearly looking to grow from within - and do it the right way.