After two years out of football, Mike Pettine won’t be away from football for very long.
As explained by Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal, Pettine will take a limited break before getting ready for his first training camp as the Packers defensive coordinator.
“That will last about a week, and then I’ll start thinking about football,” Pettine said regarding his time on a lake with family. “I have my own list of things to do, but I’ll be smart with it. I’ll do a little bit at a time. But it’s hard to completely detach from it. [But] that’s what’s great about that time -- you can get around friends and families and take you away from it. But it’s always there, and by 10-12 days into July, I’ll be ready to start camp.”
It’s no surprise, because Pettine is happy to be back.
“Being out, what you miss is that interaction, the camaraderie, not just with the players but with the coaching staff,” Pettine said.
Packers players may already miss Pettine, given that he brings to the team a much more vocal style than his predecessor, Dom Capers. As Wilde notes, Pettine never has run a defense that finished outside the top 10. Given the presence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a Pettine-led defense could be the thing that finally pushes the Packers back over the top.
