The wedding story starts where all LaFleur stories do: with the coach trying to give everyone space to be themselves. He mentions Tom Clementswho just returned as the Packers quarterbacks coach and who coached him earlier in his careerand former quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, now the offensive coordinator in Cleveland, as people whove given him extremely granular tasks to improve on each day. Hourly. I wanted him to do what made him happy, because I think too many times we forget these players are people, first and foremost. I like practical coaching that makes sense and honest, direct conversation. It was a comfort. But when I asked McDaniel my last questionWhats one thing I wouldnt know about LaFleur?he got far more serious. That is special, really special.. This is their job and I expect them to come to work ready to play. And LaFleur moved past the question almost impossibly quickly. Four years ago, LaFleur was hired to get Aaron Rodgers back to an elite level after a sharp decline in production. Copyright IBTimes 2023. From MACtion, I learned you better have a quarterback, he said. Matt is a big part of that puzzle of why to get up every morning, Lewis said. The plan was dinner at Rodgers place just the two of them and Rodgers girlfriend, Shailene Woodley. That was the furthest thing from his mind. No, he said. Winning 13 games three seasons in a row seems like an easy proposition with Aaron Rodgers under center. When LaFleur worked for Dan Quinn on the Falcons in 2015 and 16, Quinn had three rules. Be it right, wrong or indifferent, I look at it a little different from some people regarding the whole situation. He has been the force that keeps the team a team. When LaFleur was in Los Angeles for the NFL Honors, he met Clements, who lives in the area. Also at the wedding was Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who had the opportunity at the reception to lead Rodgers to the bar, offer him something strong and straight up, and make a pitch for Rodgers to come home with him. In fact, its the best in NFL history. 1 seed in their respective conferences this year, but both teams were defeated at home in the divisional round. After four years in Washington, a brief stop at Notre Dame, and a move to Atlanta with Kyle Shanahan, LaFleur was a no-brainer hire to be McVays first offensive coordinator in Los Angeles in 2017. The flip side of that is that LaFleur empowers his assistants and wants input, Stenavich said, and lets assistants address the room in ways other coaches might not. Take the emotion out of it, and be able to have an honest conversation without being triggered or sensitive by what was said. [Adding] another young coach on staff, he wasnt threatened by me joining the party. Winning 13 games three seasons in a row seems like an easy proposition with Aaron Rodgers under center. I have 100 percent trust with him. So if LaFleur was mad about something Rodgers said or did, he would take it out on the backup quarterbacks. The last couple of years have been really, really seamless for us, Rodgers says. While he also had three interceptions over the same span, it can be attributed to part of the growing pains that a young quarterback will have with the lack of snaps afforded to him. After GM Howie Roseman made seven trades, Philadelphia finished the weekend with seven picks and more 2024 ammo. Hed rather use his cadence at the line to get defenses to show him hints at what they are doing. But the Packers never used a first-round pick on a wide receiver or tight end throughout four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers 18 seasons in Green Bay. I mean, he is so efficient at it, LaFleur said. LaFleur has already broken former 49ers coach George Seiferts record for most wins in his first three seasons with 39. But that obscures the fact that if it were so easy to win 13 games, LaFleurs predecessor Mike McCarthy would have done it at least once in any of his last seven years at the helm. And at that stage, 99 percent of coaches wouldnt have had that security. I think most coaches, a lot of coaches tend to stay away from the truth and I think Matt has figured out the way to do it is to go straight at it, Saleh said. Youre exactly right., So, its a dance of, how do we show up for each other? Maybe (Lukas) Van Ness from Iowa winds up falling to 15. I asked Rodgers if theres anything hed like to do differently if they make the playoff this season. (AP Photo/Matt York), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Adams is an impossible player to replace, someone capable of lining up in the slot or out wide, and catching passes all over the fieldlast season he had double-digit receptions behind the line of scrimmage, within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, 10-19 yards deep, and then 20-plus yards deep; and according to Pro Football Focus, over the past two seasons, when Adams was in single coverage, passes to him registered a 129.6 passer rating. John Madden had them. Aaron audibles a lot. To win consistently the way he has is not appreciated enough., His quarterback, though, has a different take: Its because he just won the lottery, man. Im walking around a vast, carpeted locker room in Lambeau Field in early August trying to find out why, and generally succeeding: Players are explaining in detail his widely praised management style and describing his football mind, which blends the concepts hes loved for years with those embraced by his quarterback into the best playbook in the NFL. It might be the storywhy this all works. He asked Rodgers about him again this January. As part of his opening statement, LaFleur said, Obviously, I didnt do enough to get our team prepared to win a football game. He will do something even if its worse for him. The most recent tight end the Packers picked in the first round was Miamis Bubba Franks, who went 14th overall in 2000. This period ended organicallya meeting here, a play there, a series of expansive Zoom calls before the 2020 season. After the Saints stunned the Packers 38-3 in the opening game of the 2021 season, LaFleur said, Obviously, I didnt get these guys ready to play ball.. Although the Packers could take a running back in the late rounds, its not a need. Many times, the lessons you learn from defeats are most impactful than what you learn from when you succeed.. In their second season together, Rodgers won the third of his four NFL MVPs. In three seasons together, LaFleur and Rodgers have won 13 games three times and reached the NFC championship game twice. That move could lead to the exit of free agent Mason Crosby, who has a franchise-record 1,918 career points over 17 seasons. When LaFleur realized how perturbed Rodgers was last offseason, Rodgers said his coach was on the next flight to visit him in Malibu, Calif. That was definitely meaningful to me, Rodgers says. (Larry Radloff / Icon Sportswire via Associated Press). The majority of us are vaxed, coaches, players. And they take it like being attacked or something but hes just asking questions and being thorough. Stenavich said they recently changed the rules of a protection scheme not because LaFleur was angry, but because he just kept interrogating why they did it that way. LaFleurs commitment to the Packers and Rodgers led to a spirit of cooperation from the quarterback. COVID toe is a condition in which toes swell and turn blue or purple. He was apprehensive, as he had not yet lost a tooth. He wasnt grilling T-bones. LaFleur seemed to think the talent was there, and the only change needed was at the top. He walks down the air-conditioned hallway back to his office. Can we take some motion off to get some tempo practice? And he can say yes without being sensitive, Rodgers says. As we walk through the tunnels of Lambeau Field, he explains that, like everyone, he cares what people think of him, but he tries hard to only value the opinion of his family, coaches, and players. The third round has been disastrous for the Packers recently. LaFleur took over for the Green Bay Packers' former head coach, Mike McCarthy, in . LaFleur remembers sitting in Washington and seeing the natural throwing motion and athleticism of Rodgers and realizing that theres nothing he cant do. And he was still so spooked when he returned to Green Bay that he talked to offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich about it. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, president Mark Murphy and director of football operations Russ Ball also were involved in the discussions. Theyre always the most important. But he also took the blame for the loss, saying he failed to tell Rodgers he wouldnt have a fourth down to try to convert. They ask you to do a lot of things with your back to the defense. They give credit to worse-looking guys, guys with terrible eyebrows and terrible hairlines, and hes blessed. Theres a lot of trust built up at this point between Matt and our players to protect them and put their best interest at heart and ultimately get the team thats going to be fresher whenever we play, says Darryl Franklin, LaFleurs chief of staff. video. So whether you were vaxed or unvaxed, it doesnt shield you from it. And you have let the ball rip as soon as you plant your back foot, giving the quarterback just a split second to read the defense. And that says as much as you need to know.. The good news is that the offense is built for just that. And we need to make sure that were manifesting through our words the reality we want to achieve. LaFleur is fine with the cold now. One of the best things you can say about Matt is that the guys hes worked with usually play their best ball when hes with them, McVay said. As much as anything, its why Rodgers will be a Packer in 2022. I really sit back and think, here we are, with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. We just named a quarterback assistant, Connor Lewis. LaFleur's not going to scream or lecture and he's not so self-absorbed to take his eye off the road. It eventually came out, giving Ty a story that he might tell his grandkids. Davante demanded so much of the ball because he was always open and if youve got a guy who is always open, you gotta give him the ball, Rodgers said. LaFleur and Rodgers operate as part millennial Vince LombardiBart Starr and part bickering old married coupleif the old married couple won 80 percent of their football games and designed an offense that combined classic Shanahan-McVay principles with Rodgerss ability to lay waste to entire Midwestern cities. But ahead of an all-important season, the fourth-year Packers coach knows he still has questions to answerand a big opportunity to do just that. 12 pick in 2019. who played one special teams snap and no offensive snaps as a rookie, was suspended the last six games of the season. He was cooking dal and kitchari. For others, they are growth experiences. Hes got great eyebrows, he dresses nice, and they just get distracted by all the things he brings to the table and they dont give him credit. If there was a vacancy on his staff, LaFleur wanted to be prepared. Lafleur started a text conversation with Rodgers during his telecast and nearly responded by Facetiming him on live television. ), I still feel like theres still the opportunity for the same amount of yards and touchdowns. Packers can shore up pivotal role in Matt LaFleur's offense with tight ends in 2023 NFL Draft. LaFleur would desperately try to get ahead on his dutieseveryone with him in those days agreed he was a perfectionistand then after hours and hours of work, Gibbs would ask him to change it.

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matt lafleur politics

matt lafleur politics