USA TODAY International Edition
Packers decide to retain Pettine
GREEN BAY, Wis. – It didn’t take long for Packers coach Matt Lafleur to decide he would retain Mike Pettine as his defensive coordinator.
Three days after an NFC championship game letdown LaFleur described as “very disappointing” for his ascending defense, a person with knowledge of the team’s plans confirmed to PackersNews the bitter ending will not cost Pettine his job. The Packers will retain Pettine in 2020, his third season.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the decision.
ESPN was first to report the Packers would retain Pettine as defensive coordinator.
The decision continues an organizational commitment to Pettine as defensive coordinator.
As team president/ CEO Mark Murphy and general manager Brian Gutekunst set out on their head coaching search that eventually led to LaFleur last year, they did so wanting to retain Pettine as defensive coordinator.
LaFleur evidently shared their desire to retain Pettine, whose reputation he was familiar with through a mutual connection with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
In the second season with Pettine’s scheme, the Packers ranked ninth in scoring defense ( 19.6 points allowed per game) in 2019.
But they were 18th in yards ( 352.6), three spots behind their No. 15 ranking from 2018, and twice were dismantled by Shanahan’s offense.
The second time came Sunday, when the 49ers threw only eight passes but rushed for 285 yards en route to a 37- 20 win that secured the NFC title.
When asked Wednesday morning if Pettine would remain as his defensive coordinator, LaFleur declined to give an endorsement.
“We’re still working through everything right now,” he said. “Just trying to evaluate everything.”