Matt LaFleur confirms communication issues impacted relationship with Packers players

Earlier this year, the Green Bay Packers extended Matt LaFleur’s contract. With it comes a great responsibility, as the head coach needs to achieve success soon; improving his communication skills is key to doing so.

In the 2025 NFL Players Association survey, Matt LaFleur suffered a setback in his grade from Packers players. He dropped from an A-minus in 2024 to a B-minus in 2025, with players indicating they felt the head coach did not treat them with enough respect.

LaFleur is aware of the massive impact this perception can have inside the locker room. For that reason, the head coach believes he must improve communication with both players and coaches to avoid any misunderstandings that could impact their performance.

“I don’t feel that way, but unfortunately some guys did,” LaFleur said, via ESPN. “That tells me I’ve got to do a better job of communicating. It goes back to the relationship piece. I think it’s so critical. We always talk about connected teams are powerful teams, and we have to grow that connection. Certainly that’s been a topic of conversation within our building of — how do we get these guys a little closer? Because the more they know each other, I think the more they’re going to battle for one another.”

A lot of pressure in Green Bay

Prior to signing his contract extension, Matt LaFleur stated multiple times that he believed he would stay in Green Bay for the long term. Now that the club has given him a new deal, the pressure is on the head coach.

The Packers have not yet reached the level of success expected with Matt LaFleur as head coach and Jordan Love as quarterback. While they have reached the Conference Championship twice, they lost both games, which is not at all what the front office envisioned.

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This year, following a disappointing 2025 season, the pressure has increased significantly. With a new contract, LaFleur needs to prove he was the right choice. Love is also under the spotlight following the massive four-year, $220 million extension he signed in 2024.

The panorama in the NFC North

Last year, the Chicago Bears surprised many by winning the NFC North title. While the Packers also advanced, they were eliminated in the Wild Card round by those same Bears, their longtime rivals.

For 2026, the outlook appears even more complicated. The Vikings are set to improve with either J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray under center, and the Lions are not expected to have as poor a year as their last one. Meanwhile, the Bears now appear to be the frontrunners to secure the division title for the second year in a row. It is a tough scenario for Matt LaFleur and the Packers.