Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur appears to be handling his relationship with his star quarterback the right way.
Amid speculation that there may be early tension between LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports reported that the pair are doing well in the early stages. LaFleur is “amused” by the speculation about the relationship, and Rodgers is saying the right things. In addition, LaFleur was unbothered when Rodgers was critical of LaFleur’s joint practices.
Alright, time to unpack the notebook.
First, everyone obviously wants to know how Aaron Rodgers & Matt LaFleur are getting along after things devolved between Rodgers & Mike McCarthy last year. LaFleur is amused by all the attention it’s getting; Rodgers is dismissive of it.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 16, 2019
When LaFleur was first told that Rodgers’ comments about the practicality of joint practices had become a thing, he laughed and waved the whole thing away; he didn’t really care. He's spent time trying to build a good relationship with Rodgers, and believes they’re on that path.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 16, 2019
More importantly, Rodgers seems to get it. He's saying the right things, calling LaFleur the "boss." But it's really a partnership. He understands the importance of having open, honest dialogue between a QB and playcaller, and LaFleur gets that, too.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 16, 2019
But one thing that I believe will definitely help LaFleur in this situation is that he seems to be coming into it with some pliability. Rodgers, for instance, will be allowed to continue to call the two-minute drill and have influence on red-zone tactics.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 16, 2019
In other words, there don’t seem to be any early issues despite a lot of speculation given how Rodgers ended his relationship with ex-coach Mike McCarthy. Rodgers has been very dismissive of a feud and seems tired of the whole story, even if their interactions will remain under a microscope for at least a while yet.
