"Disheveled."

That's a pretty accurate word to describe how most are feeling after Saturday's disaster. That was the word Matt LaFleur used to describe his team during the second half. Disheveled is a heavy adjective to describe his team, but it does fit. The Packers' failure to finish will go down as one of the worst collapses in recent memory. It might even rival the infamous 2014 NFC Championship Game debacle. It was inexcusable and crushing. But as the old adage goes, "Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion."

Green Bay's season didn't end on Saturday. The season essentially ended on December 14th in Denver. The Packers lost the game to drop to 9-4-1, but the injuries were far worse than a tally in the loss column. Green Bay also lost Micah Parsons and Zach Tom for the remainder of the season, and they never recovered. They had already lost Devonte Wyatt and Tucker Kraft to season-ending injuries earlier in the season. This team was never going to contend for a Super Bowl without four of its best players. 

Keeping that in mind, the Packers still found new and crushing ways to lose football games. Each one got harder and harder to swallow. They fumbled away a game to Chicago in Week 16, were steamrolled by Baltimore in Week 17, and even lost a glorified exhibition match to Minnesota. They had chances to win all of them, but they couldn't seal the deal. All of those losses pale in comparison to the epic collapse that happened on Saturday night.

Emotions are high. Losing to Chicago in any fashion is difficult to accept, but it's even worse when Green Bay self-imploded after jumping out to a commanding lead. It'll be a long offseason after a loss like that. Everyone in the Packers organization needs to partake in some self-reflection and be critical of themselves. Changes could, and should, be made. Everything is on the table. There's plenty to sort out, so buckle up for a long read.

Packers now are expected to try to work out a deal in the coming days to keep head coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, per sources. pic.twitter.com/PxugiVoCDQ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2026

Starting at the Top

There's been plenty of buzz surrounding Matt LaFleur's future with the Green Bay Packers. Rarely does a coach enter a season with only one year left on his deal, so the timing of this allowed the new President and CEO, Ed Policy, to observe and examine LaFleur for a full season before deciding on whether to extend him or move on. Reports surfaced on Saturday morning from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that LaFleur was not coaching for his job, regardless of what happened on Saturday night.

Then Saturday night happened.

The Packers were in complete control in all three phases of the game, allowing them to jump out to a 21-3 halftime lead. The offense was executing better than it had in weeks, maybe even months. The run game was effective, receivers were running wide open, and Love had all day to pick apart Chicago's defense. LaFleur was mixing and matching his formations, keeping Chicago's defense on their heels. It was a perfect marriage between the run and pass game.

The second half was a different story. LaFleur's coaching turned into an all-time awful coaching performance. His offense imploded, punting on four straight possessions to start the second half. They were unable to even pick up a first down until the end of the third quarter. LaFleur completely lost his feel for the game once he got the lead, and ultimately, it cost them. Dennis Allen made adjustments, and LaFleur was unable to counter.  Green Bay's defense was holding on for dear life. They kept bending, bending, and bending until finally, they broke because the offense couldn't sustain a drive.  There was a tangible feeling that the Packers were going to blow the game, and that's what happened.

The Packers were once sitting with a 9-3-1 record and looked primed to win the division. They even were in contention for the #1 overall seed. Then everything fell apart in Denver. LaFleur was lucky to finish above .500. This season alone, the Packers lost five games where they led by nine or more points. Per ESPN Insights, they are also the first team since 1970 to lose three games when leading by ten or more points in the final five minutes of the game, including playoffs. Unfortunately, performances like these have become LaFleur's MO going all the way back to when he took over as the head coach.

• 2019: The Packers were blown out by San Francisco in the NFC Championship game 37-20.
• 2020: Tom Brady threw three interceptions in the second half, but LaFleur took the ball out of Rodgers' hands and the Packers fell 31-26.
• 2021: The Packers self-imploded at home, blew a 4th quarter lead, and lost 13-10.
• 2022: In a win-and-in scenario, Green Bay lost 20-16 after only scoring seven points in the second half.
• 2023: Jordan Love went nuclear in Dallas to advance, but the Packers blew a 21-14 4th quarter lead in San Francisco to lose 24-21.
• 2024: Green Bay only managed three points through three quarters, proved to be outmatched in every phase by Philadelphia, and ultimately lost 22-10. 
• 2025: The Packers melted down, blew a 15-point 4th quarter lead, and lost 31-27.

The conversation surrounding whether or not to bring back LaFleur as head coach is understandable. LaFleur started his head coaching career by going 39-10, including 2-3 in the postseason. He won the division all three years and was knocking on the door to the Super Bowl twice. Since then, he's gone 37-30, including 1-3 in the playoffs, and hasn't won a division title. His coordinator choices have been questionable, his in-game management hasn't improved, and his team isn't always ready to play in big games. It could be argued that since Rodgers left the Packers, LaFleur hasn't been the same coach.

Packers led by 10 in Cleveland
Led by 13 in Dallas
Led by 9 in Denver
Led by 10 in Chicago
Led by 18 in Chicago Pt. 2

They didn’t win any of those games.

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) January 11, 2026

That said, LaFleur has finished above .500 in six of his seven seasons as the head coach. LaFleur started with an older locker room filled with strong egos. He managed to take those teams to two NFC Championship games and helped Aaron Rodgers win two MVP awards. Then the roster shifted, and LaFleur has taken the youngest team in the league to three straight playoff appearances. LaFleur is a significant reason Jordan Love has developed into a top-ten, perhaps even top-five, quarterback in the NFL. He even helped Malik Willis look like a starting NFL quarterback. The value he adds as an offensive play caller is something that cannot be easily replaced. LaFleur has his flaws, without a doubt, but all the good he's done shouldn't be overlooked either.

The head coach should take the heat for a team's failures, but jumping to conclusions based on emotions usually isn't good business either. LaFleur wasn't good enough on Saturday night, and he acknowledged that. That said, the responsibility doesn't rest entirely on his shoulders. A big reason for the second-half collapse was that the beat-up offensive line imploded. Rasheed Walker and Anthony Belton were terrible, both allowing six pressures each. It wasn't that LaFleur became a conservative play caller; it's that every play he was calling was wrecked by the offensive line consistently blowing blocks and protections. LaFleur can certainly be blamed for what happens outside of the whistles, but he shouldn't be completely blamed for what happens between the whistles.

The crowd wanting LaFleur to be fired is growing, and understandably so. That said, LaFleur is widely regarded as one of the better head coaches in the league. Many of his star players (Jordan Love, Micah Parsons, Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft, etc.) all gave him ringing endorsements. His offense hasn't gone stale, and he doesn't seem to have lost the locker room. Will LaFleur ever win a Super Bowl? That's impossible to predict. Maybe he'll never get over the hump. A change could be necessary, but it can also get a lot worse.

Whether fans like it or not, it sounds like Ed Policy has already made his decision regarding LaFleur's future. It's been reported multiple times that the Packers are "expected to try" to extend their head coach. The wording of that report is strange, but it seems as if both sides want an extension to get done. Rapoport added, "Several coaches are monitoring that situation. It's just hard to believe, we'll see, but hard to believe the Packers do not get something done."

“Matt LaFleur is a hell of a coach—
For anybody to say he should be fired, you don’t know what you’re talking about. This guy is a good football coach”

- Tony Gonzalez pic.twitter.com/6Ci8E7Y8ab

— Hogg (@HoggNFL) January 11, 2026

LaFleur Isn't The Only Coach to Blame

Regardless of what happens with LaFleur, changes need to be made with the coaching staff. None of LaFleur's coordinators were good enough down the stretch. The lack of offensive adjustments could fall just as much on Adam Stenovich as it does on LaFleur. Jeff Hafley's defense gave a valiant effort for three quarters, but it still allowed 25 points in the 4th quarter. Oh, and Rich Bisaccia's special teams units were atrocious once again. It might be unfair to speak about the assistant coaches when no one outside of the organization knows if they're good at their job or not, but the product on the field wasn't good enough, and that's partially a result of the assistants.

The one assistant whose job is safe is Jeff Hafley, but Lafleur isn't expecting him back. Hafley will be interviewing for other head coaching jobs, and LaFleur expects Hafley to get one of them. If Hafley doesn't land one of those gigs, he will certainly be back. Hafley didn't take the step forward many were expecting, though. His defense came up short on multiple key occasions. That falls on Hafley, but it's also on his defensive assistants and the personnel he was given.

DeMarcus Covington was brought in to elevate the defensive line. Micah was Micah. Devonte Wyatt and Colby Wooden both took steps forward. Outside of those three, there wasn't a ton of progression within that position group. Sean Duggan took over for Anthony Campanile as the linebackers coach, but none of the linebackers have taken a step forward. There was also talk all offseason about forcing turnovers. Everyone was talking about the work Wendel Davis, the "ball king," was doing to help generate turnovers, yet the Packers generated fewer in 2025 than they did in 2024.

Matt LaFleur says "all options are on the table" if #Packers to replace DC Jeff Hafley if they lose him to a head coaching gig, a possibility he's expecting:

"I fully anticipate, I think Hafley is going to do a great job on the interview, and I fully anticipate him getting one…

— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) January 11, 2026

It's really hard to gauge how good Adam Stenovich is at his job. It's LaFleur's offense, and LaFleur calls the plays. Stenovich might be the best offensive coordinator in the league. He might also be the worst; no one truly knows. Stenovich has been the offensive coordinator for the last four seasons. Before he took the job, the Packers had a 0.759 winning percentage. After Stenovich took over as the offensive coordinator, the winning percentage dropped to 0.535. Maybe it's something, maybe it's nothing, but it's worth a conversation.

Some other offensive assistants should be examined. How many of the wide receivers have significantly improved over the last couple of years? Christian Watson might be the only one. Jason Vrable and Ryan Mahaffey both work directly with the wide receivers, but they haven't progressed as much as originally hoped. The same question could be asked about the offensive line. The offensive front plagued Green Bay's offense the entire season. Since Luke Butkas took over for Stenovich as the offensive line coach, the offensive line units haven't been as much of a strength. Neither position group progressed as expected.

Special teams is the one area that absolutely needs a change, and one might be coming. When asked about bringing back Rich Bisaccia, LaFleur was noncommittal. The Packers paid Bisaccia top-dollar to "fix" their special teams units, but they've hardly improved. To make matters worse, they made him the Assistant Head Coach and then extended his contract. At this point, it's fair to question if Bisaccia brings anything positive to the table. Brandon McManus missed three crucial kicks last night. The punt coverage was a nightmare. He even started experimenting with returners in a win-or-go-home game. Changes need to be made, and it sure seems as if they're coming.

Injuries, Injuries, and More Injuries

It's fair to criticize the entire coaching staff for their performance down the stretch, but it's hard to envision any coaching staff overcoming the litany of injuries that the Packers endured this season. The Packers finished the year with 15 players on IR, including nine who played key roles before getting hurt. The Packers also had one player on the PUP list and two on the practice squad IR. The weekly injury report always consisted of ten or more players. The Packers just couldn't get or stay healthy. Amongst the players that were missing:

• Zayne Anderson (key special teamer and starting gunner)
• John FitzPatrick (key and versatile offensive piece)
• Nate Hobbs (potential starter at cornerback)
• Elgton Jenkins (starting center)
• Tucker Kraft (starting tight end and potentially the best offensive weapon)
• Bo Melton (key special teamer and starting gunner)
• Micah Parsons (best defensive player)
• Savion Williams (starting kick returner)
• Devonte Wyatt (best interior defensive linemen)

Injuries in the NFL are bound to happen, but it sure felt like the Packers had it worse than other teams. It might've just been really bad luck. It could also be their training or rehabilitation programs. Similar to the assistant coaches, it's impossible to know if the Packers' training staff is good at their job, but it's fair to question. The Packers were given a "B" on the most recent NFLPA report card for their training staff, which ranked 16th out of 32 teams.

The strength and conditioning staff is in the same boat. The Packers earned a "B" for their strength coaches, ranking 27th of 32 teams. Matt LaFleur hired Aaron Hill as Green Bay's new Strength and Conditioning Coordinator back in 2024, but it doesn't seem that he's had the intended impact. Hill came from San Francisco, another team that frequently suffers from poor injury luck. It's probably time to re-evaluate this department once again.

These departments may have absolutely nothing to do with the Packers' poor injury history. It's truly impossible to know. But as David Bakhtiari pointed out, Green Bay needs the sports science department to get it right, or injuries will continue to plague the organization year after year. The Packers can't be playing in January without several of their best players, or they will never advance in the playoffs.

Packers are in good hands with @jordan3love. Gonna keep them competitive for a long time. Next year the biggest opponent:

Injuries. 👀

Need the sports science department to get it right. Enough is enough.

— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) January 11, 2026

The Roster May See Some New Faces in 2026

Regardless of any changes on the coaching staff, Green Bay's roster is going to look different in 2026. They have nine players who will be unrestricted free agents and five more who will be restricted free agents. There's a strong chance many of them are gone. Green Bay simply can't afford to pay them all, and honestly, they shouldn't. Some of the notable players who will probably sign elsewhere are Rasheed Walker, Kingsley Enagbare, Romeo Doubs, Malik Willis, and Quay Walker. That's a lot of snaps that will be vacated that Brian Gutekunst and his staff will need to fill.

The Packers have 47 current players under contract for next season, but many of them aren't a sure thing to be on the team come next September. Rashan Gary, Elgton Jenkins, Keisean Nixon, and Trevon Diggs are all candidates to be cap casualties. Even Josh Jacobs, Nate Hobbs, and Brandon McManus should feel a little uneasy based on their contracts. The Packers can't afford to pay players right now who won't return on their investment. 

Ultimately, the Packers just need their best players back and healthy, but there are plenty of spots that could use fresh reinforcements. The downside is the Packers don't have the money to make any big splashes in free agency or a first-round pick. The new faces they bring in will be low-level free agents and later-round draft picks. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's going to leave plenty of question marks going into next year.

Nixon with the business decision at the goal line pic.twitter.com/m8EjoBlp4L

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 11, 2026

Changes Are Coming, Just Not The One People Want

Regardless of what happens over the next few months, the 2026 Green Bay Packers are going to look different. A lot of people want Matt LaFleur to be fired. That's understandable. All of the criticisms are fair. He hasn't been good enough in crucial moments. Maybe it's all his fault, maybe it's on his assistants, or maybe it's on the players. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. It doesn't sound like LaFleur is going anywhere, but changes are going to be made after the Packers performed like that down the stretch.

If something changes and LaFleur isn't back with the Packers, they'd better hope they find a coach who can elevate this roster. Is there any surefire candidate? Probably not. Some want Hafley to be the new head coach, but his defense didn't leave much to be desired after he lost Micah Parsons. Some people want John Harbaugh, but he's 63 years old and known for blowing games in the second half. Harbaugh will also command top-of-the-market money, which the Packers try to avoid. LaFleur provides such an offensive advantage that it would be hard to replicate. There's no guarantee anyone would be a better option than LaFleur.

Everything falls on the head coach, as it should. But before jumping to irrational conclusions, it's important to examine who else carries some of the responsibility. Some of it falls on the coaching staff. The players who aren't executing also share some of the blame. Some of it is just dumb luck. It's really hard to win in the NFL without your best players, and the Packers were without many of their stars. This would have been a much different discussion had the Packers held on and beaten Chicago on Saturday, but that calamity raised some difficult questions that may lead to some uncomfortable decisions.