Matt LaFleur, welcome to the primary day of the remainder of your life.

If there’s one particular person within the Inexperienced Bay Packers franchise not named Jordan Love with probably the most to show this yr, it would really be the group’s fourth yr head coach. That is perhaps loopy speak in regular circumstances for a coach who has received over 70% of his video games, however these will not be regular occasions in Titletown. For the primary time in 15 years, there’s a brand new beginning quarterback in command.

For his critics, LaFleur’s safety blanket is gone. For his advocates, LaFleur had an albatross faraway from his again. That blanket and/or fowl is in fact former quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who’s in fact now a New York Jet.

The doubters will say LaFleur rode the coattails of his former quarterback and that with Love operating his offense, the top coach will show to be not fairly pretty much as good as his historic profitable proportion signifies. Believers in LaFleur will argue that with out the management obsessed Rodgers underneath heart and a quarterback he has helped mildew from day one in his place, LaFleur will lastly have the ability to run the offense he’s actually needed to run since his arrival in Inexperienced Bay in 2019.

There was a lot ballyhoo about how issues would work between Rodgers and LaFleur when the coach was employed, particularly round “the audible factor.” The answer was someplace within the center: the Packers ran many LaFleur ideas whereas retaining a number of issues Rodgers was comfy with, even when they weren’t staples of the coach’s scheme (lack of movement, extra quarterback audible management, and so on).

Now, with Love, LaFleur has full management of the kitchen and may lastly make the most of his full bag of tips. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and others can transfer at will earlier than the snap, Aaron Jones can be utilized in a mess of the way, and the coach can believe the play he calls is what will probably be run.

Whereas this all sounds tremendously constructive, these with doubts do must be given some credence. We don’t really know the way effectively this can all come collectively and there’s a not-insignificant likelihood LaFleur won’t be all that some suppose he’s cracked as much as be.

That’s the entire theme of this upcoming Packers season: crusing into the unknown. An enormous a part of that’s Love, however LaFleur must be a part of that as effectively. Fortunately, these with issues can take heed to the phrases of their now former quarterback, who gave LaFleur a number of credit score for the 2 MVP awards he received underneath his watch (even when arguably the drafting of his successor might have been what lit the spark).

No matter the place you fall, LaFleur is really free to unfold his wings and present what he can do.

We already know he can run a locker room. Vibes across the group have been stellar yearly since he took cost and that hasn’t modified in any respect on this first yr with Love. In reality, if you happen to have a look at the myriad Instagram posts all through the summer season from a wide range of gamers, one may argue the vibes are higher than ever.

It’s the on-field work that may finally outline LaFleur’s legacy in Inexperienced Bay and it’ll largely hinge on how Love performs

To paraphrase former coach Mike Holmgren, LaFleur and Love are actually joined on the hip. They’ll both attain the highest of the mountain collectively or find yourself within the trash collectively.

However will probably be collectively.

It’s time to see what they will do. It might be good, it might be dangerous. Till then, there’s recent air at 1265 Lombardi Avenue because the anticipation of the beginning of latest period builds as every day coaching camp will get nearer.

It’s time to get to work.

It’s time to let Matt LaFleur cook dinner.