Friends as playoff foes: LaFleur faces McVay

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay say their friendship and shared history shouldn’t have much of an impact on their teams’ upcoming NFC divisional playoff matchup.

LaFleur was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2017 during the first year of McVay’s head coaching tenure after they spent four seasons as assistants on Mike Shanahan’s Washington staff. The top-seeded Packers (13-3) host the Rams (11-6) on Saturday with an NFC championship game berth at stake.

“It’s not something that even comes to my mind once throughout the game-planning process,” LaFleur said. “You’re focused on what you’re seeing on tape and trying to focus on some of the things you do well and maybe trying to implement some new things. The sole focus has always got to be on the opposition, 100% of your effort has got to be on the opposition and less about who you have personal relationships with.”

LaFleur says he learned his lesson as a first-year head coach last season matching up twice with the San Francisco 49ers, whose staff included his younger brother Mike as passing game coordinator. San Francisco’s head coach is Kyle Shanahan, who worked at Washington with Matt LaFleur and McVay from 2010-13.

The 49ers beat the Packers soundly both times, including a 37-20 decision in the NFC championship game.

“I probably maybe thought about it more last year, whereas I’ve kind of been there, done that, in regard to that,” LaFleur said. “(Los Angeles) is a damn good football team. If you’re focusing on anything other than who you’re going against, then you’re wasting time.”

McVay says facing a friend and former colleague is somewhat different because each coach knows a little about the other’s tendencies. But he said that factor “can be a little bit blown out of proportion” and pointed out that both of them have evolved since their years working together.

“I don’t think you want to be naïve to the fact that they know a couple of things that you want to make sure you’re aware of,” McVay said. “But I also think you’ve got to be careful of not overthinking it. It’s about your team versus the opposing team.”

LaFleur has a deep history with McVay. “That’s one of my closest friends in life,” LaFleur said. “I love him like a brother.”

McVay credits his time working on Mike Shanahan’s staff with LaFleur and the Shanahans for helping mold him into the coach he is now. LaFleur says he sensed McVay was a coaching star on the rise as soon as they met.

“He’s like my brother, like my big brother,” McVay said of LaFleur.