The Green Bay Packers are still reeling from a loss to the Chicago Bears that ended their 2025 season, leaving the franchise heading into the offseason in search of anything that resembles a win. Unfortunately for those in Wisconsin, many Packers fans believe they didn’t get it when Matt LaFleur agreed to a contract extension and are still waiting for a resolution with special teams coach Rich Bisaccia.
While Green Bay's front office hasn't been able to please its entire fan base thus far, they did get an early win when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that the Detroit Lions have agreed to hire Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator.
The move is underwhelming considering the Lions were linked to names such as Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll during the interview process. But it’s the type of win the Packers needed as they begin their preparations for the 2026 season.
The Packers' Path to NFC North Crown May Have Opened Up with Lions’ OC Hire
The Lions were the Packers’ nemesis back in 2024, as Ben Johnson helped Detroit run circles around the Packers en route to their second straight NFC North championship. Johnson made his way to the Chicago Bears after the 2024 season, and the tables turned as the Lions hired John Morton to replace him. Green Bay earned wins in both matchups with Detroit, as its offense spun its wheels in those matchups. This led to Morton being relieved of his duties after just one season, leading many to believe Detroit would make a high-profile hire to make up for it.
On the surface, Petzing isn’t that hire. The 38-year-old spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals, and the results weren’t inspiring as his offense never ranked in the top 10 in total offense or scoring. While he had some positives, such as the utilization of tight end Trey McBride and a rushing offense that ranked in the top 10 in yardage in 2023 and 2024, he also won’t have Kyler Murray to boost those numbers, making him an odd fit for the Lions.
This is something that should have Packers fans feeling good about themselves. Green Bay started the season with a 9-3-1 record, but injuries to tight end Tucker Kraft and edge rusher Micah Parsons caught up with them as they lost their final five games, including a playoff loss to the Bears.
If the Lions had hired McDaniel or a higher-profile name, their climb back to the top of the division would have been made less difficult. That didn't happen, though, and now Petzing may have cleared the path. Despite their success this season, the Bears could understandably regress in 2026 after going 7-4 in one-score games and leading the NFL in turnover rate last season. The other hurdle Green Bay will need to clear within the division, the Minnesota Vikings, enter the offseason still having major questions at the quarterback position.
For that to happen, the Packers needed something to fall into their favor, and the Lions may have handed it to them on Monday afternoon.