It pays to have friends. Especially when it comes to new Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
According to a report by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Silverstein, Rams coach Sean McVay was responsible — at least partly — for Matt LaFleur becoming the soon-to-be Green Bay head coach.
Been told that #Rams coach Sean McVay and soon-to-be #Packers coach Matt LaFleur are close friends and it's likely McVay lobbied for him. Murphy was clearly looking for a guy with an offensive mind. Allows him to keep DC Mike Pettine and the entire staff .
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) January 7, 2019
Silverstein suggests that LaFleur ultimately got the Packers' position thanks to McVay “lobbying” on his behalf. He knew that the team needed someone with an “offensive mind,” and LaFleur's assumption of the position means that the team can keep the rest of the team's staff, including defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
For most of his career, LaFleur has served as an offensive coordinator. He held the position, most recently, with the Tennessee Titans. He also held the position, briefly, with the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to that, he was the quarterback coach for the Washington Redskins and the Atlanta Falcons.
The Green Bay Packers had no shortage of people vying for the head coach position, which was vacated after former head coach Mike McCarthy was fired. Joe Philbin then stepped in as interim head coach while the team went on the hunt for the new head coach.
Accordingly, the Packers have told their other head coach candidates that they're “out” of the running for the head coach position and that Matt LaFleur would be starting his position shortly.
It will be interesting to see if LaFleur can get Green Bay back to playoff contention and help save the rest of Aaron Rodgers' prime.