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Matt LaFleur Thinks Packers Specialist is the 'Best' He's Ever Coached

Green Bay Packers HC Matt LaFleur shared a ton of praise for P Daniel Whelan following Sunday's victory over the Houston Texans.

By Devon Platana

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
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The Green Bay Packers improved to 5-2 on the 2024 NFL season with a hard-fought 24-22 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 7. While several Packers contributed to the all-important win, few players had as big of an impact as punter Daniel Whelan.

The 25-year-old Irish special teamer was instrumental in flipping the field throughout the game. Whelan averaged a whopping 56.8 yards across five punts which included three consecutive attempts of 61-plus yards in the second half.

Following the victory, Packers HC Matt LaFleur had nothing but praise to shower upon the second-year punter.

Packers News: Matt LaFleur Praises Daniel Whelan's Week 7 Performance

"When you average 56.8 yards (per punt), that's pretty damn good," LaFleur told reporters in Sunday's post-game conference, per FOX6 News's Lily Zhao. [Whelan is] definitely the best I've ever been around."

The fact that LaFleur called Whelan the best punter he's coached is pretty high praise for the second-year pro. The Enniskerry, Ireland native joined the Packers as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season following a brief stint with the XFL's DC Defenders.

LaFleur's compliments for his punt didn't end there, though. Not only did the Packers HC hype up Whelan's punting, but he also made sure to praise him for his role in the team's field goal success.

"Not only is [Whelan] an outstanding punter but he's a hell of a holder," LaFleur told ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "I can't say enough great things about him. He definitely had a huge impact in the game today."

After receiving a low snap from long snapper Matt Orzech with the game on the line, Whelan made a quick adjustment to help the newly signed Brandon McManus land the game-winning field goal. As a result, Orzech told reporters that he now owes his punter dinner for saving the day.

Whelan has been terrific for the Packers throughout the 2024 campaign. He's averaging more yards per punt (48.0) than he did last year (46.2) and has already landed 33.3% of his attempts inside of the 20-yard line.

Time will tell if Whelan can find a way to make an impact again in Week 8. Things look promising for the Packers this weekend as they're currently FanDuel Sportsbook's 4.5-point road favorites over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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