Contract talks between the Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur have seemingly stalled, fueling speculation of a sticking point in negotiations.
This was supposed to be done by now, one way or the other. The Green Bay Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur were expected to talk almost immediately after their 2025 campaign ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Chicago Bears in the playoffs.
On the table was a possible contract extension for LaFleur, who is heading into the final year of his contract with the team. One would imagine there's also lots of money on the table, but LaFleur's representation and team president Ed Policy may feel differently about what the head coach is worth.
Policy may have felt one way going into the loss to the Bears and another way after. That can happen when you blow a 21-3 halftime lead to your biggest rival in the playoffs.
Still, the expectation around the league was that LaFleur and policy would talk and the Packers would pretty quickly announce a decision -- one way or another.
Things are still in limbo as of Wednesday morning, though, and it's worth noting that ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter feels that something strange could be going on.
“I would say this on Matt LaFleur. … We said yesterday that they’re trying to work out a deal with Matt LaFleur,” Schefter said on NFL Live on Tuesday afternoon (h/t On3). "It’s almost 48 hours later. There’s still no deal with Matt LaFleur. We’re waiting. … It should not be that hard. And by the way, let me say this. They still might work it out with Matt LaFleur. They might. They’re trying. But it shouldn’t be a difficult deal to do."
Schefter is right. If the Packers wanted their head coach back for the long-term and LaFleur agreed, it wouldn't take that long for the two teams to come to an agreement.
That is, of course, unless there's a difference in ideas when it comes to the amount of money a coach like LaFleur should get in an extension.
There's also the idea floating around out there that the Packers could trade LaFleur. Perhaps they could recoup one of the first-round picks they gave away when they traded with the Dallas Cowboys for superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons. That would certainly be appealing.
Either way, there's a lot on the line here, and it's not just for the Packers.
If they get rid of LaFleur, either by firing him or trading him, they'll need to get in line for a new head coach. If LaFleur hits the market without a trade happening, multiple teams are looking for a new head coach, and those teams will almost assuredly immediately give him a call.
This delay in action leads Schefter to believe that the league will have its eyes on the Packers as this saga plays out.
“We can do the numbers right now, crunch the math and come up with a deal to get it done. It’s ticking and there are more openings and there are teams waiting, so we need an answer," Schefter said. "We haven’t gotten one. And last thing on that. As my friend Windy would say, there’s something going on in Green Bay. We’ve got to keep watching Green Bay.”
Schefter is referencing a quote from ESPN NBA reporter Brian Windhorst back in 2022 when he was breaking down a unique trade between the Utah Jazz and the Brooklyn Nets.
"What's going on in Utah?" Windhorst had said. "And that's what people in the league are watching right now. "
What's going on in Green Bay?
That's the question right now, and apparently the entirety of the NFL is waiting with bated breath for answers.