In a press conference after hiring Matt LaFleur as head coach, Packers CEO Mark Murphy said the team was looking for “something we could do to shake people up so they don’t have the complacency” that he believed took root toward the end of Mike McCarthy’s tenure.
Time will tell if LaFleur is effective on that front and in the standings, but the reaction of one of the Packers’ top players to the hire suggests that the new coach’s arrival has resulted in a new feeling around the team. Wide receiver Davante Adams said from the Pro Bowl in Orlando that LaFleur made a “great first impression” during their first conversation.
“I kind of like what he’s trying to do with the offense and he’s pretty innovative, so it’ll be a good way to mix things up a bit,” Adams said, via NBC26. “He’s a real young guy. It’s a big change-up from Mike’s style obviously just off of age alone. He’s really relatable, which is going to be really good. To be able to lead men, you have to entertain them and kind of hold, capture their attention and gain their respect, so he’s a guy I see we can definitely head in that direction with.”
With Mike Pettine staying on as the defensive coordinator, the biggest changes this season figure to be on the offensive side of the ball. If Adams’ response is shared by the rest of the unit, it will be a boost to LaFleur’s ability to sell his vision as the right one for Green Bay’s present and future.