After losing a 31-27 playoff heartbreaker to the Chicago Bears on Saturday — a game in which they led 21-3 at one point — the Green Bay Packers have some tough decisions to make during the offseason.
The Packers made the jump from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender right before the start of the season following the blockbuster trade that brought in superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys.
Sure, it cost Green Bay two first-round picks and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, but there’s no question Parsons’ addition was a franchise-changing move.
The Packers had the No. 6-ranked defense during the regular season, and Parsons himself racked up 79 pressures, 51 hurries, 14 QB hits, 12.5 sacks, and 12 tackles for loss — all team highs, but that defense let them down in the postseason.
Now, Green Bay is getting an early start on the 2026 season, and some are wondering if head coach Matt LaFleur will still be employed by the team beyond this week.
Packers Could Go All-In on John Harbaugh
GettyJohn Harbaugh has been linked to several teams with a head coaching vacancy
During “NFL Countdown” hours before the Buffalo Bills-Jacksonville Jaguars playoff games, ESPN insider Adam Schefter speculated now might be the time for the Packers to part ways with LaFleur given who’s available on the coaching free agent market.
“The Packers former president back in the day was a man by the name of Bob Harlan. Bob Harlan’s son, Brian Harlan, represents John Harbugh,” Schefter stated.
“John Harbaugh is a midwestern guy, who has a home in the upper peninsula, and a lot of people around the league have been wondering if the Packers decide to go in a different direction if all of a sudden, the Green Bay Packers might vault to the top of John Harbaugh’s list as the top available choice for him.”
Harbaugh, who went 180-113 with 12 playoff appearances, six division titles, and a Super Bowl championship in 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, was fired by the team last week after an 8-9 finish — just the third losing season of his career.
The 2019 AP NFL Coach of the Year is the most coveted candidate available for teams looking for a new head coach, though Harbaugh is diligently limiting any interviews he does, per ESPN.
What Does LaFleur’s Future Hold?
GettyGreen Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur may be on the hot seat, according to sources.
If the Packers did fire LaFleur, it’s believed he will have no shortage of suitors either.
Schefter stated if Green Bay did go in a different direction, the 46-year-old LaFleur would become the top candidate for several of the eight teams currently looking for a new HC.
“If they moved on from him, he automatically would go near the top of the coaches available and shake up this current head coaching cycle yet again,” Schefter stated.
In seven seasons in Green Bay, LaFleur has a 76-40-1 record with six playoff appearances, three division titles, and two NFC Championship Game appearances.
The Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans are all currently without a head coach.
Depending on how the next week or two plays out with the postseason, there’s speculation the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers both could make head coaching changes as well.
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