RODGERS, LAFLEUR OFF TO SOLID START
All-world QB and Packers’ new coach building relationship in training camp
No, there isn’t a rift already between new Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur and his veteran superstar quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.
That much seems clear after hearing both men talk following the NFL club’s first training camp practice here in Titletown, USA.
For the first time since 2006, Green Bay has a new head coach, someone who doesn’t have a street near Lambeau Field named after him.
Mike Mccarthy is out after 13 years in charge. His tenure ended after having reached “only” one Super Bowl, a 31-25 victory in 2010 over Pittsburgh. Indeed, despite having late-career Brett Favre and beginning-career Rodgers as his starting quarterbacks, Mccarthy’s Packers reached the NFC championship game only four times, and lost three.
Enter Lafleur, a young hotshot offensive whiz who grew up in Michigan. He turns 40 in November. Rodgers, who grew up mostly in California, turns 36 in December. Theirs will be no father/son relationship.
Lafleur coached quarterbacks with three teams in the NFL from 2010-16, separated by a one-year stint at the University of Notre Dame in 2014. In 2017 he was Sean Mcvay’s offensive co-ordinator for the latter’s first season as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. And last year Lafleur served in the same role for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.
Lafleur thus has tutored such quarterbacks as Kirk Cousins, Robert Griffin III in his best season (2012), Matt Ryan in his best season (2016), Jared Goff in his breakout season (2017), and Marcus Mariota last year.
Rodgers might well be the best thrower of footballs this planet has produced. Now entering his 15th NFL season and 12th as starter, all here, he has a slew of league passing records and milestones to his credit, including the most glistening career touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio (an insanely great 4.2-to-1).
It was no secret Rodgers often changed Mccarthy’s play calls at the line. While he had the freedom to do so, a deeply researched story earlier this year by Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report revealed that duo’s relationship had long since turned toxic, and that Rodgers was wantonly changing plays as he saw fit.
Over the past couple of months, Lafleur suggested publicly that he wants Rodgers to run plays that he, as play-caller, sends in, while Rodgers countered in an Nfl.com story that, “I don’t think you want to ask me to turn off 11 years (of recognizing defences). We have a number of check-with-me’s and lineof-scrimmage stuff. It’s just the other stuff that really not many people in this league can do. That’s not, like, a humble-brag or anything. That’s just a fact.”
Lafleur responded diplomatically. To Monday Morning Quarterback’s Albert Breer last month he said: “It totally comes with time. You got a guy with that much experience that can see things — if he can get us into the perfect play, why wouldn’t you give him that freedom? The biggest thing (is) I’m hoping that we do a good enough job as a staff that he doesn’t have to do that, in terms of the play calls and setting us up and being in the right looks. That’s the goal — to take that off him, because I just want him to go play. But certainly, if there’s a play that’s not going to be good, yeah, please, save us. That would be great.”
On Wednesday, Lafleur insisted his relationship with Rodgers is not off to a rocky start, at all.
“There are so many things that I like about him. Not only from just a physical ability, but he’s one of the most competitive players that I’ve ever been around,” Lafleur said. “I mean, you can see it on a daily basis. It’s not just on the field. It’s in the meeting room, too. I just enjoy our communication, I enjoy the challenge.
“He’s an extremely intelligent player that has played a lot of ball. And you better know what you’re talking about.”
The Packers practised Thursday in shells only, not full pads. Rodgers threw two interceptions.
Rodgers said he and Lafleur are “friends” already, and he was convincing in saying he likes what he has seen of the first-time head coach, and the offence he has brought.
“Our on-the-field relationship is one that grows over time,” Rodgers said. “He hasn’t called a play for me in a game situation yet, so there’s a process, of feeling comfortable when the play comes in, of him trusting me, and me trusting him. But I feel great about our communication. … He’s the main voice in the offensive huddle.
“He really appreciates open conversation, ideas and creativity. It’s been a great relationship, a great start to it. I look forward to that growing, and getting into that rhythm of him as a play-caller.”
And, yes, Rodgers can still audible into different plays based on the look the defence gives him.
“We do a lot of stuff where I have two or three plays called in the huddle, and I try to get into the best one based on the look,” Rodgers said. “And then we have subtle checks, as well, that we’re working in and working through.
“Once we get going on some of the no-huddle stuff, that, to me, has always been the main (part) of the offence, because you start simplifying things in the no-huddle.
“So I feel good about the offence, I feel good about the things that we can do in it, but it’s just kind of in its infancy right now in training camp. I think it has a lot of room to grow.”
I don’t think you want to ask me to turn off 11 years (of recognizing defences) . ... It’s just the other stuff that really not many people in this league can do. That’s not, like, a humble-brag or anything.