Matt LaFleur is only a few games into the 2026 NFL season, but the Green Bay Packers head coach is once again facing questions about his job security.
LaFleur has not been fired, and there is no public indication that the Packers have decided to replace him. In fact, Green Bay gave LaFleur a multiyear contract extension during the 2026 offseason and team president Ed Policy publicly backed him as the right coach for the franchise.
The pressure comes from something different: a series of late-game collapses, disappointing playoff exits and growing questions about whether a team built around Jordan Love can move from simply reaching the postseason to actually contending for a Super Bowl.
The Packers entered Week 3 of the 2026 season at 1-1 after ending a six-game losing streak with an overtime victory over the New York Jets.
Is Matt LaFleur Going To Be Fired?
There is currently no announcement from the Packers that LaFleur will be fired.
The organization actually made a significant commitment to him earlier in 2026 by agreeing to a multiyear contract extension.
Packers president and CEO Ed Policy said after the deal that his confidence in LaFleur had not changed despite Green Bay’s disastrous finish to the 2025 season.
“I firmly believe he is the best coach for the Green Bay Packers at this point in time.”
Policy said he already intended to extend LaFleur before Green Bay’s playoff collapse against Chicago and that the loss did not change his long-term opinion. [Packers]
That makes an immediate firing less straightforward than some hot-seat headlines suggest.
But contract extensions do not guarantee that an NFL coach will remain employed if a season deteriorates badly enough.
Why Is Matt LaFleur On The Hot Seat?
The biggest problem for LaFleur is that several of Green Bay’s recent losses have followed almost exactly the same pattern.
The Packers have repeatedly built significant leads only to lose control of games late.
Sports Illustrated noted after Green Bay’s Week 1 loss to Minnesota that the Packers had held double-digit leads in three consecutive games dating back to 2025 and lost all three. [Sports Illustrated]
That stretch included:
- A late regular-season collapse against Chicago in 2025
- An 18-point halftime lead blown against Chicago in the playoffs
- A 12-point second-half lead blown against Minnesota in Week 1 of 2026
When the same type of loss occurs repeatedly, criticism naturally shifts from individual plays toward coaching, game management and the team’s ability to respond when momentum changes.
What Happened To The Packers At The End Of 2025?
Green Bay appeared to be in strong position late in the 2025 season.
The Packers were 9-3-1 before losing their final four regular-season games. They still qualified for the postseason but entered as the NFC’s No. 7 seed.
The situation became even worse in the playoffs.
Green Bay led the Chicago Bears 21-3 at halftime of their Wild Card game and remained ahead 27-16 during the fourth quarter.
Chicago scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter points and won 31-27, ending Green Bay’s season on a five-game losing streak. [Packers] [AP]
The way Green Bay lost was particularly damaging to LaFleur’s standing with frustrated fans because the Packers appeared to have the game under control.
How Did The Packers Blow The Bears Playoff Game?
Green Bay’s collapse involved mistakes in all three phases.
The offense struggled to sustain drives in the second half, the defense allowed Chicago to erase the deficit and the special teams unit missed an extra point and a field goal.
The Packers also committed a delay-of-game penalty coming out of a timeout and mishandled the snap on their final offensive play.
LaFleur acknowledged afterward that the team became “disheveled” during the second half. [NFL]
The loss extended LaFleur’s recent postseason struggles and reopened questions about why successful Green Bay regular seasons have so often ended without a deep playoff run.
What Is Matt LaFleur’s Playoff Record?
LaFleur entered the 2026 season with a 3-6 playoff record as Green Bay’s head coach.
| Season | Packers Playoff Result |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 2020 | Lost NFC Championship Game |
| 2021 | Lost Divisional Round |
| 2022 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2023 | Won Wild Card, Lost Divisional Round |
| 2024 | Lost Wild Card |
| 2025 | Lost Wild Card |
Green Bay has only one playoff victory since the 2020 season and has gone one-and-done in each of the last two postseasons. [Packers]
The Packers also have not reached the NFC Championship Game since the 2020 season and have never reached a Super Bowl under LaFleur.
Why Was The Week 1 Loss To Minnesota So Important?
The 2026 opener looked disturbingly similar to the losses that ended the previous season.
Green Bay led Minnesota 22-10 late in the third quarter.
The Vikings then scored 29 unanswered points and won 39-22 despite losing starting quarterback Kyler Murray to a concussion and turning to backup Carson Wentz.
One of the game’s biggest moments came early in the fourth quarter.
Green Bay had kicked a field goal that would have increased its lead, but a Minnesota offside penalty gave LaFleur the option of accepting the penalty and attempting fourth-and-1.
LaFleur chose to remove the points from the scoreboard and go for the first down. Jordan Love was stopped on a quarterback sneak.
Minnesota controlled the game from that point forward. [Packers]
How Long Was The Packers’ Losing Streak?
The Minnesota defeat extended Green Bay’s losing streak to six games when the postseason is included.
The Packers lost their final four regular-season games in 2025, lost to Chicago in the Wild Card round and then lost their 2026 opener to Minnesota.
Green Bay finally ended the streak with a 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets in Week 2. [Reuters]
That victory eased some of the immediate pressure on LaFleur, but it did not solve all of Green Bay’s problems.
Why Was The Jets Win Still Concerning?
The Packers won, but their performance remained extremely sloppy.
Green Bay produced only 199 total yards and converted just one of nine third downs.
The Packers were also called for 14 accepted penalties for 133 yards. Combined with the 12 penalties they committed in Week 1, Green Bay had 26 accepted penalties through its first two games.
NFL.com noted that only three teams in league history had committed more accepted penalties over the first two games of a season. [NFL]
Green Bay nevertheless erased a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit and won in overtime.
The comeback showed resilience, but the penalties and offensive inconsistency added another issue to LaFleur’s growing list of problems to correct.
Are Penalties A Matt LaFleur Problem?
Penalties are committed by players, but repeated discipline problems inevitably create questions about coaching.
Green Bay was called for 12 penalties for 98 yards against Minnesota and another 14 for 133 yards against New York.
Six of the Week 1 penalties were pre-snap violations — three false starts and three defensive offsides.
LaFleur acknowledged after the Minnesota game that some of those mistakes were unacceptable.
“We’ve got to play cleaner football.”
He also described some of Green Bay’s protection mistakes as breakdowns that “absolutely should not and cannot happen.” [Packers]
Are There Betting Odds On Matt LaFleur Being Fired?
Yes, although prediction-market prices are not evidence that the Packers themselves intend to fire him.
Forbes reported on September 22 that Kalshi’s market had LaFleur as the leading candidate to be the next NFL head coach to leave his job.
The market was pricing a 64 percent chance that LaFleur would no longer be Green Bay’s coach by February 15, 2027. [Forbes]
Those numbers can change rapidly based on game results, injuries and public trading activity. They should therefore be understood as a snapshot of market sentiment rather than an inside report about Green Bay’s plans.
Didn’t The Packers Just Give Matt LaFleur A New Contract?
Yes.
Green Bay gave LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president Russ Ball multiyear extensions after the 2025 season.
Policy said the organization deliberately chose continuity rather than beginning another major leadership transition.
He specifically praised LaFleur’s work developing quarterbacks, including helping Aaron Rodgers win consecutive MVP awards and overseeing Jordan Love’s emergence as Green Bay’s starter. [Packers]
The extensions are one of the strongest arguments against assuming LaFleur is about to be fired.
The Packers did not reluctantly allow him to enter the final year of his contract. They actively decided to extend him.
Could The Packers Fire LaFleur Despite His Extension?
Yes.
An NFL coaching contract does not prevent a team from firing a coach. It generally means the organization would remain responsible for guaranteed compensation contained in the contract.
Forbes noted that Green Bay is financially capable of absorbing the remaining cost of LaFleur’s deal if team leadership eventually decides to make a change. [Forbes]
But the existence of the extension still matters because it demonstrates that Packers leadership entered the season expecting LaFleur to remain the coach for more than one year.
Why Hasn’t Green Bay Fired Matt LaFleur?
Because his overall résumé remains unusually strong for a coach facing this much public criticism.
Through his first seven seasons, LaFleur had a 76-40-1 regular-season record.
His 76 wins tied Paul Brown for the second-most by an NFL head coach during his first seven seasons, behind only George Seifert.
Green Bay reached the playoffs in six of those seven seasons. LaFleur’s six postseason appearances tied Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren for the most by a Packers coach during his first seven years. [Packers]
| Matt LaFleur Through 2025 | Total |
|---|---|
| Regular-Season Record | 76-40-1 |
| Playoff Appearances | 6 |
| Playoff Record | 3-6 |
| NFC Championship Appearances | 2 |
| Super Bowl Appearances | 0 |
The debate surrounding LaFleur therefore is not whether he has been a successful regular-season coach. He clearly has.
The question is whether Green Bay believes those regular-season results are still progressing toward a championship.
How Has Matt LaFleur Done With Jordan Love?
Love’s development is one of the strongest parts of LaFleur’s case for remaining in Green Bay.
LaFleur oversaw the transition from Aaron Rodgers to Love and reached the playoffs in each of Love’s first three seasons as the Packers’ primary starting quarterback.
Policy specifically cited LaFleur’s quarterback development when explaining why Green Bay extended him. [Packers]
That relationship matters because teams are often reluctant to make major offensive coaching changes when they believe a coach is helping a franchise quarterback develop.
What Would Put Matt LaFleur In Real Danger Of Being Fired?
No specific requirement has been publicly established by the Packers.
However, the issues driving the current discussion are clear.
A prolonged losing season, continued late-game collapses, persistent discipline problems or another disappointing postseason exit would increase scrutiny after Green Bay chose continuity following the 2025 collapse.
Conversely, a strong 2026 season and a meaningful playoff run would address much of the criticism surrounding LaFleur’s recent results.
Sports Illustrated argued after Week 1 that calls for his immediate firing were premature, noting that Green Bay had just made a deliberate offseason decision to retain and extend him. [Sports Illustrated]
Why Does The Packers’ History Matter?
Green Bay historically does not change head coaches frequently.
The Packers have had only three permanent head coaches since 2000:
- Mike Sherman: 2000-2005
- Mike McCarthy: 2006-2018
- Matt LaFleur: 2019-present
Green Bay did fire McCarthy during the 2018 season, with four games remaining, so the franchise has demonstrated that it will make an in-season change when leadership believes a coaching tenure has run its course. [Forbes]
But historically the organization has favored stability rather than frequent coaching turnover.
Why Could Matt LaFleur Be Fired?
LaFleur’s job-security debate comes down to the contrast between his excellent overall regular-season record and Green Bay’s recent inability to finish important games and advance in the playoffs.
The case for concern includes:
- Green Bay ended the 2025 season with five consecutive losses.
- The Packers blew an 18-point halftime lead in their playoff loss to Chicago.
- They have won only one playoff game since the 2020 season.
- LaFleur is 1-5 in his last six postseason games.
- Green Bay blew another double-digit lead against Minnesota in the 2026 opener.
- The Packers committed 26 accepted penalties through their first two 2026 games.
The case for LaFleur remaining is also substantial:
- He owns a 76-40-1 regular-season record through seven seasons.
- He has taken Green Bay to the playoffs six times.
- He successfully oversaw the transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love.
- The Packers gave him a new multiyear contract in 2026.
- Team president Ed Policy has publicly and repeatedly backed him.
So the accurate description is that LaFleur is facing considerably more pressure than his overall win-loss record would normally suggest, but there is currently a meaningful gap between hot-seat speculation and evidence that the Packers have decided to fire him.
Matt LaFleur Hot Seat FAQ
Has Matt LaFleur been fired?
No. LaFleur remains the Packers’ head coach and received a multiyear contract extension during the 2026 offseason. [Packers]
Why are people saying Matt LaFleur could be fired?
The speculation is primarily tied to Green Bay’s repeated late-game collapses, its five-game losing streak to finish 2025, poor recent playoff results and a sloppy start to the 2026 season.
What is Matt LaFleur’s playoff record?
LaFleur entered 2026 with a 3-6 postseason record. The Packers have gone 1-5 in his last six playoff games. [Packers]
How many playoff games have the Packers won recently?
Green Bay has won one playoff game since the end of the 2020 season: its 48-32 Wild Card victory over Dallas following the 2023 regular season.
What happened against the Bears in the 2025 playoffs?
The Packers led 21-3 at halftime but lost 31-27 after Chicago scored 25 points in the fourth quarter. The defeat ended Green Bay’s season on a five-game losing streak. [Packers]
What happened against Minnesota in Week 1 of 2026?
Green Bay held a 22-10 second-half lead before Minnesota scored 29 unanswered points and won 39-22. [Packers]
Did the Packers extend Matt LaFleur’s contract?
Yes. LaFleur agreed to a multiyear extension in 2026 along with general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive Russ Ball. The exact length of the deal was not publicly disclosed. [Packers]
Could the Packers still fire him?
Yes. A contract extension does not prevent an NFL team from dismissing its head coach. But Green Bay’s recent extension and Policy’s public support are significant evidence that the organization entered 2026 expecting LaFleur to remain in charge.
