The Green Bay Packers started off the 2026 season how they ended last year. Matt LaFleur has blown yet another game that he had a late lead in.

Against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, the Packers dominated for most of the game. Unfortunately, they were outscored 22-0 in the fourth quarter and ended up losing by a final score of 39-22.

Jordan Love put on a strong showing. Despite being pressured on what felt like every other down, he threw for 387 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while completing 21 of his 42 pass attempts.

At the end of the day, the loss is just another that doesn't make sense. Green Bay should have closed out the Vikings and moved to 1-0 to begin the year. That didn't happen.

LaFleur has been on the hot seat since last season. Losing in the same fashion against Minnesota has caused fans to call for change once again. The Packers may turn things around as the 2026 season moves forward, but if they don't, change could be coming.

Here are five names to watch as potential coaching candidates for Green Bay if Ed Policy is forced to make a change.

Freeman has been a hot name in NFL circles over the last couple of years. He has opted to remain with the Fighting Irish, but coaching the Packers could be enough to lure him to the professional ranks.

Since taking over as the head coach at Notre Dame back in 2021, Freeman has led the program to a 45-12 record. He may not have interest in coaching Green Bay, but he's a name worth monitoring at the very least.

Another name to watch happens to be one the Packers just faced. Brian Flores has been one of the NFL's elite defensive coordinators for years. He was a hot name in the NFL coaching carousel this past offseason, but didn't end up getting a job.

Flores would be worth taking a look at for Green Bay. He may not be the right candidate, but he's a name that needs to be on the list.

Bringing in another young offensive mind could be interesting for the Packers. Love is one of the NFL's best quarterbacks currently. Webb could be a nice change of pace.

Green Bay would likely prefer to hire a coach with NFL head coaching experience. But, if the Packers are willing to bring in a first-time head coach, Webb is a name to monitor.

If Green Bay does decide to look at the college ranks, Sarkisian could make some sense. Last offseason, the Texas head coach was talked about as a potential candidate to be an NFL head coach.

Sarkisian has led the Longhorns to a 50-20 record since 2021. Whether or not he would have interest in leaving Texas for the NFL remains to be seen, but he's another name to watch.

Perhaps the most intriguing option on this list, McDermott is taking the 2026 off from coaching after a very successful run with the Bills. He helped rebuild the Buffalo franchise into the contender it is today, but the Bills simply couldn't quite win a championship with him leading the way.

McDermott compiled an impressive 98-50 record over his nine-year tenure with the Bills. He only missed the playoffs in one of those seasons. While he hasn't won a championship, he came much closer than LaFleur has recently.