Packers will host more fans for playoff game
GREEN BAY – Green Bay Packers fans have gotten their second-fondest wish; second, that is, to a Super Bowl victory. More than 6,000 fans will be allowed to attend the Packers first playoff game.
There is a big caveat, though. Tickets will be sold only to season ticket holders who said they’d be willing to buy them despite the coronavirus pandemic, and the tickets will not be transferable, which means no sales on the secondary market.
The Packers are scheduled to host the lowest-seeded surviving NFC team the weekend of Jan. 16-17. If they win, they will host the NFC championship game on Jan. 24.
The decision on fans is for Jan. 16-17 only. A decision on how many fans will be allowed in the stadium for the championship game will be made later.
So far, the Packers have had 1,000 or fewer employees and front-line workers and their families in the stands for recent home games. They’ve used those games to test their safety protocols.
The Packers, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, have a bye this weekend. Of the six games scheduled for the wild card round, two will host limited numbers of ticketed fans.
The Packers did not allow ticketed fans at games during the regular season because of the coronavirus pandemic. The team allowed employees’ families to attend the previous four home games, and invited health care workers and security personnel and their families to the final two regular-season games at Lambeau Field as well.
For this game, the Packers will sell 6,000 tickets to season ticket holders who notified the team before the season started that they would opt in to future ticket sales.
The Packers did not say how many total people will be allowed into the stadium, but it will be around 10% of the normal attendance.
Tickets will be sold online through Ticketmaster on a first-come, firstserved basis beginning Tuesday.
Ticket prices, as set by the NFL, will range from $127 in the end zones to $177 between the 20 yards lines, plus a service fee from Ticketmaster.
Tickets will be sold for pods of two, four or six seats. Ticket holders will be responsible for the makeup and health of their pod.
Hackett gets Falcons interview
Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was scheduled to conduct a virtual interview for the Atlanta Falcons head-coaching job Thursday, coach Matt LaFleur confirmed.
The Packers finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in offense, tied for first in scoring, second in third-down efficiency and first in red-zone success.
LaFleur calls the plays, but Hackett oversees the entire offensive staff, presents the week’s game plan to the players and does the bulk of the work on the red-zone offense.
The Falcons didn’t have to ask permission to interview Hackett because it’s not mandatory when offering a promotion to head coach, but LaFleur wouldn’t have prevented Hackett from interviewing.
“I think he’s earned it,” LaFleur said. “I think he’d do a helluva job. Just everything that he’s added, the value that he’s brought here, it’s hard to quantify that. And he does a great job with our entire offense, a great job with leading our offensive staff and so I’m excited for him to get his opportunity.
“I have a lot of confidence that there’s no doubt he’s fully capable of doing a great job and somebody would be lucky to have a guy like him.”
Taylor shut down
The Packers are keeping undrafted rookie running back Patrick Taylor on the non-football injury list.
In order to give him an opportunity to work with the team, the Packers used a three-week window available for Taylor to practice, but it ended last week and the Packers either had to activate Taylor to the 53-man roster, keep him on NFI or cut him.