The Green Bay Packers’ 31-27 Wild Card collapse to the Chicago Bears on Saturday night was more than just a heartbreaking loss to a rival; it was an indictment of a head coaching tenure that has become defined by January paralysis. As the dust settles on a third consecutive one-and-done or early exit, the question in Titletown is no longer if Matt LaFleur is a good regular-season coach, but whether he is a championship-caliber one.
The evidence is mounting that he is not.
A Postseason Record of Paralysis
While LaFleur’s regular-season winning percentage is historically elite (76-40-1, .654), his postseason resume has become a “manure pit” of wasted opportunities. Following Saturday’s meltdown, LaFleur’s playoff record has plummeted to 3-6 (.333).
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The 21-3 Meltdown: On Saturday, the Packers held an 18-point halftime lead. In the second half, LaFleur’s offense produced only one first down over four possessions. He failed to adjust as the Bears ramped up the pressure, refusing to utilize quick screens or a established run game to stabilize a reeling Jordan Love.
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Clock Management Malpractice: In the final four minutes, LaFleur burned two critical timeouts during a frantic defensive stand. He then oversaw a delay-of-game penalty coming out of a timeout—an inexcusable lapse in composure for a seven-year veteran coach.
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The Ghost of 2020: Saturday felt like a “Greatest Hits” reel of LaFleur’s past failures—from the infamous field goal decision against Tampa Bay to the 13-10 special teams disaster against San Francisco. When the temperature rises, LaFleur historically goes into a “shell.”
The 7th Seed Mirage: A Fraudulent Playoff Berth
Perhaps the most damning fact of the 2025 season is that, under the NFL’s traditional playoff format, the Packers wouldn’t even have been in the tournament.
Green Bay finished the year at 9-7-1, backing into the postseason on a five-game losing streak. They only secured a berth because the NFL expanded to a 7th seed in 2020. Had the league maintained its classic 6-team format, the Packers would have been watching the playoffs from their couches, replaced by teams that actually finished the season with momentum.
Instead, LaFleur’s squad served as “playoff filler”—a team that took up space in the bracket only to become the first team in NFL history to blow an 18-point halftime lead to a rookie quarterback in the postseason.
The 2026 “Available” Coaching Rankings
If the Packers decide that seven years of “almost” is enough, LaFleur would hit a market currently dominated by massive names. Here is where he ranks among the current “Free Agent” coaches:
| Tier | Rank | Coach | Pedigree |
| 🥇 Tier 1: The Whales | 1 | John Harbaugh | 18 Years, 1 Super Bowl Ring, Elite Stability. |
| 2 | Mike McCarthy | Super Bowl Champion, Consistent Postseason Experience. | |
| 🥈 Tier 2: The QB Whisperers | 3 | Matt LaFleur* | Elite development of Jordan Love; .654 Reg Season Win %. |
| 4 | Kevin Stefanski | 2-time Coach of the Year; victim of Cleveland’s dysfunction. | |
| 🥉 Tier 3: The Rising Stars | 5 | Brian Flores | Transformative Defensive Mind; Leader of Men. |
| 6 | Jesse Minter | Aggressive, Michigan/Harbaugh-style innovator. |
*Hypothetical ranking if fired.
The Verdict: Matt LaFleur is a Tier 2 coach. He is the perfect hire for a team like the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders who need to develop a young QB and win 11 games in October. But for a franchise like Green Bay that measures success in Lombardis, he has proven to be a ceiling, not a catalyst.
With John Harbaugh sitting by his phone, the Packers must decide if they are comfortable being “regular season champions” forever, or if they finally want to win when the snow starts falling.
