Matt LaFleur Sends New Message to Failed Ex-Packers Kickers

The Green Bay Packers are 9-3 on the season and have won three straight games. On Thanksgiving Day, they comfortably defeated the Miami Dolphins 30-17.

The Packers have an NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football in Week 14. They are seeking to get revenge after falling to Detroit 24-14 in Week 9.

While that is the focus, it finally looks like the Packers have fixed their problem at kicker. Back on Oct. 16, Green Bay added Brandon McManus after they parted ways with Anders Carlson and Brayden Narveson. Although they are no longer on the Packers, head coach Matt LaFleur gave a voice of confidence to those two.

In an article written by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, LaFleur gave some kind words to his former players.

"I think both those guys (Carlson and Narveson) are gonna have a bright future in this league. I really do. I don’t know what it is about that position, but it just seems to take some time for the younger kickers to figure it out. But yeah, to have a guy where — I don’t even really watch it all the time now. I just kind of move on to the next thing."

- Matt LaFleur

While he still gave some kind words to his former players, the last sentence of that quote is what stood out the most.

There was a report that came out last postseason that LaFleur would pray before Carlson attempted a kick but the 45-year-old wanted to shut that down.

He said, "That was B.S., by the way. That was tongue-in-cheek, a total joke and they ran with it, so I guess I gotta be careful what I say to everybody."

Even though he refutes that report, the fact that he said he doesn't watch McManus' kicks and focuses on the next thing is telling about his confidence in his new kicker. In 2024 with Green Bay, McManus has gone 10-of-11 on field goal attempts and a perfect 16-of-16 on extra point kicks.

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