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Fox Sports’s Ralph Vacchiano placed Green Bay Packers’ Matt LaFleur on his head coaching hot seat rankings.
The Green Bay Packers signed head coach Matt LaFleur to a contract extension this offseason. But that doesn’t mean the Packers head coach possesses full job security.
In the week following Super Bowl LX, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano included LaFleur on his list of NFL head coaches already on the hot seat entering 2026.
Vacchiano placed LaFleur at No. 9 on the list.
“He just got a multiyear contract extension, but since when has that mattered (anywhere outside of Cincinnati)? New team president Ed Policy was unsure enough about LaFleur last year that he made him twist until the end of this season. Part of that is because the stakes are high in “Titletown” and LaFleur’s Packers teams haven’t made a deep run in five years,” wrote Vacchiano.
“His 76-40-1 record is stellar, and it’s great that he’s made the playoffs six times in seven years. But he has one playoff win since the 2021 season and a 3-6 postseason record overall. If the Packers slip next season or fail to get beyond the divisional round of the playoffs, that contract extension might not be enough to save him.”
LaFleur has experienced incredible regular season success with the Packers. In seven years, he has averaged nearly 11 wins per campaign, going 76-40-1 overall.
But LaFleur is 3-6 in the postseason. He’s capture one playoff victory since Aaron Rodgers departed. This past postseason, the Packers blew an 18-point playoff lead to lose to the Chicago Bears.
That defeat came in the NFC wild card round.
Why Packers’ Matt LaFleur Could Be on Hot Seat
To some pundits, it is a crazy notion to suggest LaFleur is on the hot seat.
Only one coach has won more games in his first seven seasons as an NFL head coach. LaFleur has also led the Packers to playoff appearances in six of his first seven campaigns.
For that reason, FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd strongly argued on February 12 against LaFleur being on the hot seat.
Maybe LaFleur landed on Vacchiano’s list somewhat by default. The NFL just made 10 head coaching changes, which is nearly one-third of the league. So, there’s only 22 returning head coaches, six of which are only entering their second season with their current teams.
Granted, some of those second-year head coaches, Aaron Glenn and Brian Schottenheimer, made Vacchiano’s list. But there just weren’t a ton of hot seat coaching options.
Then again, with head coaches that won a lot during the regular season such as John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott getting fired this past offseason, LaFleur being the next one wouldn’t be surprising given his playoff failures.
LaFleur is 1-3 in the postseason over the past four years. He has also won at least 10 games only once during that stretch.
LaFleur’s Contract Extension With Packers
The Packers head coach needed a contract extension at an interesting crossroads. While it would have been surprising if LaFleur didn’t get a new deal, his team lost four straight and then another playoff game to end this past season.
Despite the skid, LaFleur received the extension. But clearly, Vacchiano doesn’t see that as a reason not to fire the head coach if the Packers don’t win a playoff game in January 2027.
LaFleur has coached the same amount of seasons as Mike Holmgren, who went 9-5 in the playoffs. Mike McCarthy posted a 10-8 postseason record over 13 seasons.
Vince Lombardi registered an incredible 9-1 playoff record over nine Packers campaigns.
All three head coaches won Super Bowls.
It’s somewhat unfair to hold LaFleur to that high standard. But that is the standard Green Bay fans want to meet.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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