The Green Bay Packers are back in the same uncomfortable spot they were in at the end of last season, and Matt LaFleur is taking the heat again.
Green Bay opened the 2026 season with a loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and it was the kind that sticks. The Packers were in control for most of the game before everything unraveled in the fourth quarter, where they were outscored 22-0 and fell 39-22. Another late lead slipped away, another game that looked there for the taking ended in frustration.
Jordan Love did his part. Under heavy pressure, he still managed 387 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception while completing 21 of 42 attempts.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. The Packers had the chance to start 1-0, and they let it get away.
That kind of finish has put LaFleur back on shaky ground. He was already on the hot seat coming out of last season, and this latest collapse against Minnesota has only turned up the volume on the calls for change. Green Bay could still settle in and turn the season around, but if it doesn’t, Ed Policy may have a decision to make.
If that happens, here are five names worth watching.
Marcus Freeman is one of the more interesting possibilities. The Notre Dame head coach has been a rising NFL name for the past couple of years, though he has stayed put with the Fighting Irish. Since taking over in 2021, Freeman has gone 45-12, and a Packers opening could be enough to pull him toward the pro game.
Brian Flores is another name that belongs on the board. The Vikings defensive coordinator has long been viewed as one of the league’s top defensive minds, and he was among the hot names in the coaching cycle this past offseason before coming up empty. Green Bay just saw firsthand what he brings to the table.
Davis Webb would give the Packers a different kind of swing. The Denver Broncos offensive coordinator fits the profile of a young offensive mind, which makes some sense with Love already established as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Green Bay would probably prefer someone with previous head coaching experience, but if the team goes the first-time route, Webb is a name to keep in mind.
Steve Sarkisian would also make sense if the Packers decide to shop in college football. The Texas head coach was already discussed as a possible NFL candidate last offseason, and his run in Austin has been strong.
Since 2021, Sarkisian has led Texas to a 50-20 record. Whether he would actually leave for the NFL is another question entirely.
The most intriguing option might be Sean McDermott. He is taking the 2026 season off after a long run with the Buffalo Bills, where he helped turn the franchise into a contender.
Buffalo never quite got over the top with him, but the results were still impressive: a 98-50 record over nine seasons and just one missed playoff appearance. Compared with LaFleur’s recent stretch, McDermott would bring a very different resume to the table.
In Other News...
Packers Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The Packers spent much of their Week 1 opener in control before letting a fourth-quarter lead slip away, and the way it unraveled has plenty to do with the details that usually decide September games. Protection was an issue throughout, with the offense allowing 16 pressures and multiple sacks, leaving the quarterback under constant duress and making it hard to sustain drives when the game tightened.
Special teams added to the frustration. Rookie kicker Trey Smack had a mostly steady day by putting through three field goals, but the missed extra point stood out in a one-score game where every point mattered. For Green Bay, the loss did not just show up in the final score - it exposed how thin the margin can be when the pass protection falters and a simple kick gets away. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Have Seen This Matt LaFleur Problem Before
The Packers opened the season with a frustrating collapse against the Vikings, turning a 22-10 lead late in the third quarter into a loss after being outscored 22-0 in the fourth. For Green Bay, the hard part was not just the finish but how familiar the finish looked, with another late-game slip leaving fans and analysts to question how a game that seemed in hand got away.
Matt LaFleur drew the most heat for a key fourth-quarter sequence, declining a defensive offside penalty and choosing a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 that came up empty and led to a turnover on downs. LaFleur has acknowledged the teams issues closing out games, but this latest setback has only sharpened the criticism, because for Packers supporters it felt less like a one-off and more like a problem they have seen before. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans Finally Got A Key Josh Jacobs Suspension Clue
Josh Jacobs status has been one of the lingering questions hanging over the Packers as the league continues to investigate the incident tied to the misdemeanor charges he pleaded no contest to. He is currently on the NFL Commissioners Exempt List, which has left his situation in a holding pattern while Green Bay waits for clarity on whether the running back will miss meaningful time.
One important clue finally emerged this week: the NFL may count time spent on the exempt list as time served toward any possible suspension. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a suspension in this case could carry a minimum length of six games, but the league has still not announced any disciplinary decision. For now, the Packers are left monitoring a situation that could resolve with less missed time than initially feared, even as the investigation remains ongoing. [Read more 🡒]