The Green Bay Packers won't hold the team's poor finish against Matt LaFleur. Followingthe Packers' collapse against the Chicago Bearsin the wild-card round of the playoffs, the Packers are reportedly working to keep LaFleur around on a new contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
After Saturday's loss, LaFleur has completed seven seasons in Green Bay, where he's led the team to a 76-40-1 record.
Packers now are expected to try to work out a deal in the coming days to keep head coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, per sources.pic.twitter.com/PxugiVoCDQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)January 12, 2026
The Packers got out to a strong start in 2025, going 9-3-1 to open the year. But the team's Week 15 loss to the Denver Broncos proved to be the turning point for the Packers. In addition to losing that game, the team also lost star pass rusher Micah Parsons toa torn ACL.
They didn't win another game the rest of the way. That loss was the first of five straight for the Packers. During that stretch, the team's typically strong defense allowed its opposition to put up at least 30 points three times.
To make matters even worse, two of those losses came against the division-rival Bears, who overcame massive deficits in both contests to stun the Packers late. During the team's Week 16 meeting, the Bears trailed 16-6 with just 2:09 left to play. After a field goal cut the team's deficit to just seven points, the team recovered an onside kick and then scored an improbable touchdown on a fourth-and-4 play to tie things up. After an overtime fumble by the Packers, Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore with a deep touchdown pass to win the contest.
The second loss to the Bears came in the wild-card round. Despite leading 21-6 heading into the final quarter, the Packers gave up 25 points to the Bears in the fourth, leading to yet another improbable loss. Green Bay led 21-9 with roughly 13 minutes to play before allowing the Bears to score touchdowns on three straight drives — includingWilliams once again hitting Moore for the eventual game winner.
During the Packers' losing streak, questions emerged over whether LaFleur would keep his job. Despite all the success the Packers have experienced under LaFleur, the team hasn't won more than one playoff game in a single season and has a 3-6 postseason record.
The Packers didn't necessarily have to commit to LaFleur right now. The 46-year-old is under contract through the 2026 NFL season. The Packers could have allowed LaFleur to coach the final year of his contract before deciding to extend him.
But doing that comes with some drawbacks. If LaFleur was allowed to coach without a future contract, it could lead to questions every single week about his status. It could also lead to a situation where he loses authority in the locker room, as players could easily ignore a coach who isn't tied to the franchise the following year.
The Packers will reportedly get ahead of those issues by working through a new deal with LaFleur now. It's tough to argue with that decision considering the team's excellent regular-season record under the coach.
But even with a contract extension, LaFleur's job security could still face heightened levels of concern if the team continues to fall short in the playoffs.
