Can the Packers Truly Contend in 2026 Under Their Current Leadership?
The Green Bay Packers went 9-7-1 in 2025, being eliminated in the Wild Card round of the playoffs by their rival, the Chicago Bears. It was an up-and-down season for the Packers, filled with injuries that included defensive end Micah Parsons that sidelined for the latter half of the year. Once Parsons went down, the team was never the same and struggled on defense, losing their best player. Since their Super Bowl win in 2010, the Packers have made the playoffs 12 more times and have been unable to get that far again. They’ve become accustomed to making the playoffs nearly every year but failing to win the big one. Head coach Matt LaFleur has led the team for seven seasons, where they’ve made the playoffs six times. Despite his success, there’s a question beginning to linger in Green Bay if LaFleur can sustain this success and finally get their team back into the Super Bowl.
Most recently, the 2026 NFL Players Association team report card came out. These grades are based on player responses, ranging from the treatment of their families to the performances of coaches. LaFleur earned a B- grade this season, a significant drop from his previous ratings. His grade is among the lowest in comparison to other coaches. He’s also second-to-last in ‘respect for players’. The grade came as a bit of a surprise to those around the league, possibly showing a shift in his perception amongst players. While there’s certainly frustration as an organization in not being able to achieve the same success they had in 2010, LaFleur has proven he’s capable of being one of the best head coaches in the league. His leash with the team seems to be getting shorter, which may possibly make 2026 his most important season yet.
Luckily for LaFleur, he will have his star player back in Parsons, along with other players coming back fully healthy after dealing with lingering injuries all season, like wide receiver Christian Watson. Running back Josh Jacobs was also playing through an injury in the back end of the season, which means LaFleur will have his best runner back to full health next season. The team is expected to significantly fix up the defense, which includes figuring out their corners, who struggled all season. Offensive line depth will be another key piece for the Packers' head coach to take care of this offseason, to give better protection to quarterback Jordan Love. It certainly wasn’t LaFleur’s best season, but he still has all the pieces and potential to make 2026 a much more successful year and shake off the disappointment from his players and fans this year.
