One of the few league rule changes that Green Bay Packers fans should be paying attention to is the ability to hand out the challenge flag. It is no longer required that it only be the head coach holding the challenge flag, with the league ruling that a staff member can hold the flag, and teams understandably considering whether having a specialist focused completely on challenges could be beneficial.
For the Packers, there will not be any changes, with ESPN's Rob Demovsky reporting, "Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he plans to keep the challenge flag even though the NFL says it can now be handed off to another staff member."
Matt LaFleur joked about it, offering that, “Probably should give it up based on past action.” LaFleur's challenge history isn't stellar, with 53 total challenges and only 24 of these being won, pushing the record just above 40% for a coach who has shown very few flaws, with this being a clear area of struggle.
Still, it makes sense that LaFleur isn't going to start the season giving away this power until we have a bit more context for whether or not handing off the responsibility pays off. If LaFleur sees that changing his strategy is needed, there shouldn't be any doubting a franchise leader who has shown an ability to adjust according to what each season needs of him.
Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur Won't Change Challenge Strategy Despite Rule Change
What this could look like if LaFleur does opt to make a change is having a specific staff member completely focused on replays and whether or not the call was missed. LaFleur has an incredibly high level of responsibility for calling plays and working to make sure the correct group is in place, all while managing the clock and personalities that will inevitably hit speed bumps that every team will face.
It can be argued that having one coach completely focused on replays and taking advantage of this rule change could work to Green Bay's advantage. This will become especially tempting if LaFleur got off to a rocky start or the staff sees a specific system working well around the league.
With that said, LaFleur opting to hold the flag at the start of the season until we have a bit larger of a sample size around the league of how it is managed is a wise decision. One that doesn't have any downside unless LaFleur isn't willing to pivot if struggles continue and another avenue becomes clear.
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