Sources: Packers bringing back Matt LaFleur on multiyear deal

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers are keeping Matt LaFleur as head coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

He has signed a multiyear contract extension that a source said is "not a prove-it deal but a real commitment."

The two sides met early in the week to discuss the future direction of the organization. They were joined by general manager Brian Gutekunst and vice president/director of football operation Russ Ball and the first order of business was to make sure they had the right threesome in place.

Once they all agreed to move forward, LaFleur's contract was the first order of business. It didn't take long, and the deal was agreed to on Friday evening and signed on Saturday. Deals for Gutekunst and Ball are also in the works, sources said.

It was the first major decision by new team president Ed Policy, who took over in July for Mark Murphy. It was Murphy who hired LaFleur in 2019 to replace Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy.

The Packers lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs for the second straight season, but this time it was in a devastating fashion. Not only did they blow an 18-point halftime lead and give up 25 points in the fourth quarter, but they did it to the rival Chicago Bears.

LaFleur and Policy spoke briefly on the plane ride home from Chicago after the loss and then again after they returned to Green Bay to discuss the coach's future.

LaFleur had one year left on the contract extension he signed in 2022. He would not say whether he would be willing to coach the 2026 season without a contract extension, but he reiterated that he would prefer to remain as the Packers' coach even though he would likely be a top candidate for other NFL head coaching jobs.

"This is one-of-one," LaFleur said Sunday when he met reporters the day after the season ended. "I love this place. I love the people. ... I love our players, the locker room, everybody in our organization. I mean, this is a unique place. The community has been outstanding.

"I've lived in other places, so I think this is a unique place, and it's a special place. My kids love it here; my family loves it here."

Policy said last summer that he would prefer not to have a coach or general manager work into the final year of their contract, but at that time also said he was not ready to offer any extensions.

"I'm generally opposed -- I'd never say never -- [but] I'm generally opposed to a coach or GM going into the last year of their contract," Policy said last June, shortly before he officially took over as president. "That creates a lot of issues. I think normally you have a pretty good idea of where that relationship is going when you have two years left -- not always, but normally.

"So I think generally speaking I would avoid lame-duck status. It's oftentimes difficult on everybody involved. But there are certain situations that probably call for it, so I would not say never."

That ramped up the pressure on the 2025 season, which ended with five straight losses.

LaFleur has a 76-40-1 regular-season record as the Packers' coach, the fourth-highest winning percentage (.654) among all active NFL head coaches, and his 76 wins tied for second most in NFL history by a coach in his first seven seasons.

LaFleur received a strong vote of confidence from quarterback Jordan Love after Saturday's loss.

"I definitely think Matt should be the head coach," Love said. "I've got a lot of love for Matt, and I think he does a good job. And that's it."

The Packers have made the playoffs in all but one of LaFleur's seven seasons. However, after posting three straight 13-win seasons and going to two NFC Championship Games, LaFleur is 37-30-1 over the past four seasons with only one playoff win -- a wild-card game in the 2023 season.

LaFleur was hired in 2019 in part to get Aaron Rodgers back to an MVP level, and that's exactly what happened. Rodgers won the award twice (2020 and 2021) under LaFleur. He also was charged with developing Love, who three seasons into his starting career appears to be Green Bay's franchise quarterback.

LaFleur came to the Packers after one season as playcaller with the Tennessee Titans. Before that, he was part of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay coaching family.

Perhaps the biggest issue during LaFleur's tenure was his hiring of coordinators. He fired four coordinators in his first five seasons. He retained defensive coordinator Mike Pettine from previous coach Mike McCarthy's staff but moved on after two seasons. Pettine's replacement, Joe Barry, lasted three seasons before LaFleur hired Jeff Hafley in 2024. LaFleur also had three different special teams coordinators. Rich Bisaccia has been in that position since 2022 after LaFleur fired Shawn Mennenga after two seasons and Mo Drayton after one.

LaFleur said he expects to lose Hafley to a head coaching job but would not say whether he planned to make any other coaching changes.

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