Less than 48 hours after the Green Bay Packers fumbled Saturday’s Wild Card matchup with the Chicago Bears, team president Ed Policy has reportedly decided on Matt LaFleur’s future.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Packers, as of Monday morning, “now are expected to try to work out a deal in the coming days to keep head coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.” While the deal is not finalized and Schefter’s report suggests there is some work to do to make it happen, LaFleur’s Sunday comments, in which he referred to Green Bay as a “one of one” situation, via team writer Wes Hodkiewicz, suggest he will be on the sideline when the Packers begin the 2026 season.
The decision is disappointing for Packers fans, who watched a 15-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter on Saturday night. But with LaFleur’s return out of their control, the attention turns to the coaching staff and the obvious next move to fire special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
The Packers Must Fire Rich Bisaccia After Matt LaFleur’s Return
Bisaccia has been with the Packers since the 2022 season, but many fans have wondered why the franchise has employed him for so long. With the Packers’ special teams frequently ranking toward the bottom of the league during his tenure and an 18th-place finish in Pro Football Focus’s grades this season, the hot seat is not a new place for the 65-year-old. But with this year’s issues, the heat should definitely be turned up a notch.
The Packers had several special teams breakdowns that cost them games this season. Two of the most notable occurred early in the season: a blocked Brandon McManus field goal in the final minute set up a game-winning field goal for the lowly Cleveland Browns in a Week 3 loss, and a blocked extra point gave momentum to the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 4 tie. The hits kept coming as a muffed onside kick by Romeo Doubs allowed the Bears to make a comeback in Week 16 that ultimately decided the NFC North title.
Through it all, Bisaccia had an unwavering loyalty toward McManus as he battled a quad injury, and it bit them on Saturday night. In addition to missing a 55-yard field goal before halftime, McManus missed an extra point and a 44-yard field goal in the second half that wound up being the difference in a 31-27 victory.
Of course, other events contributed to the loss, such as LaFleur going for chunk plays down the field instead of running a traditional four-minute offense late in the game. However, the fact remains that Bisaccia's long-standing issues have been overlooked for far too long.
Perhaps firing Bisaccia could be a condition to LaFleur’s return, similar to the ultimatum the Baltimore Ravens gave John Harbaugh to move on from offensive coordinator Todd Monken before he was fired last week. But even if it’s not, LaFleur needs to put any loyalty aside and do what’s best for the team.
There are many changes the Packers will have to consider with LaFleur returning for an eighth season. But if they don’t get rid of Bisaccia, the final result could continue to remain the same.