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General manager Brian Gutekunst (left) of the Green Bay Packers speaks with head coach Matt LaFleur (right) before an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams in November 2023.

After losing their final five games of the 2025 season, the Green Bay Packers had to do some soul searching during the offseason.

They went on to make several changes, both on their roster and in the coaching staff. Green Bay will look to come back strong in 2026, but it won’t be easy in the challenging NFC North and playing the fourth-hardest schedule in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers’ Decision to Give HC Matt LaFleur Contract Extension Called Into Question

The NFL Nation staff at ESPN recently did a team-by-team breakdown of the NFC North, which included predicting records and evaluating offseason decisions. When asked what the Packers’ most impactful move was, it was uniquely responded with as one that they didn’t make.

“The one they didn’t make. Despite another early playoff exit, there was no head coaching change. LaFleur not only was retained but received a contract extension that was believed to add three years to the remaining one year he had on his old deal. Perhaps it will give LaFleur the security he sought, but it also will ramp up the expectations for him to take this team on a deep playoff run.”

Many wondered if LaFleur would be on the hotseat after losing his sixth out of nine career playoff games. Moving on from him was not only never considered, but LaFleur received a multi-year contract extension.

LaFleur’s lack of postseason success hasn’t been his only criticism. He admitted after the conclusion of 2025 that there was discontent among the players in the locker room during the season.

“I think, if I’m being honest about it, there was some guys who were upset about roles last year,” LaFleur told USA Today’s Ryan Wood. “I think that took a toll on our football team. “So, you need guys who bring great energy every day. “I think from a coaching standpoint, role clarity is key.

“So, we obviously got to do a better job communicating with our players, hey, here’s your role. And if you’re unhappy about your role, it’s on you to do something about that, to carve out a bigger role on this football team. So, yeah, the buy-in is absolutely critical, getting guys who are juiced that are ready to work each and every day.”

Key Players Returning From Injury Should Help Packers Bounce Back

It’s tough to blame LaFleur for everything that went wrong in 2026. As Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated pointed out, the Packers dealt with several injuries to top players.

“The Packers will be getting some of their top players back from injury. Green Bay was among the teams that dealt with poor injury luck in 2025, including stars such as Tucker Kraft, Micah Parsons, Jordan Love and Christian Watson. Kraft and Parsons might not be back for the start of ’26, but they should be ready to go early in the year as the Packers look to finish better than the seventh seed.”

Green Bay’s passing attack wasn’t the same when Kraft went down. Both he and Watson should be plenty motivated as they enter contract years. Parsons was playing at an elite level before getting hurt, and should pick up where he left off when he returns. Love will be looking to take the next step in his development and establish himself among the elite quarterbacks.