Change isn’t always easy, but sometimes it is needed. Such was the case for the Green Bay Packers after the Mike McCarthy era ended with a team that ran dry, an offense that fell flat and a team that had had just finished back-to-back losing seasons.
With the club making its first coaching change since 2006, Matt LaFleur was intent on making his first impression go beyond an opening speech or installation of a new playbook. Perhaps most notably, the look of the team room has changed. More than just new paint, new slogans and new photos, there is a focus on 2019 rather than teams of the past.
“Yeah, I wanted to make it about these guys, and when you come to the Green Bay Packers, obviously you respect the tradition, the history, but for us, and this football team, it’s about making history,” LaFleur said via packersnews.com. “We’ll always pay credit and respect to what’s been done here in the past, but again, it’s for us, it’s moving forward.”
The change has been evident to players who are seasoned veterans of the team, as well as those who are still relatively new. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was among those who welcomed the new change.
“I think the great thing about Matt is it’s been very clear messaging. He’s been great in front of the room. It’s a forward focus. It’s about building today for a better tomorrow. He’s done a great job of talking about how the most important thing is us moving forward together.”
Rodgers’ early approval is a welcomed sign, and should provide some hope for a team that reportedly suffered from locker room drama under McCarthy.
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