Packers coach Matt LaFleur receives contract extension; Gutekunst close

2 hours ago 1

GREEN BAY – Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst are set to lead the Green Bay Packers for years to come.

After nearly a week of negotiations, the Packers agreed to terms with LaFleur on a multi-year contract extension that will guarantee he won’t go into 2026 with just one year left on his deal. At the same time, the Packers were also close to completing a contract extension for Gutekunst.

PackersNews confirmed the status of both deals.

NFL Network was the first to report the deals were going to get done.

LaFleur’s future with the Packers was in question after the Packers suffered an embarrassing wild-card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears on Jan. 10. It was the third time in the past four playoff appearances that the Packers bowed out of the playoffs in the first round.

Packers President and CEO Ed Policy had to decide whether seven years was enough time for LaFleur to lead the Packers to a Super Bowl. Despite a 76-40-1 regular-season record, LaFleur has gotten the team to the NFC championship game twice, but no further.

Policy decided the Packers could win a Super Bowl under LaFleur.

The Packers did not have a lot of leverage given that LaFleur knew that if the Packers let him go, he would be the leading candidate to coach several of the eight NFL teams who are still without a head coach.

As a result, he could ask for a long-term deal that would give him the security every coach wants and allow him to build on the progress he has made with the current roster. The Packers had to negotiate length and salary knowing that if they couldn’t reach an agreement, LaFleur could serve out the final year of his deal and be a free agent in 2027.

The Packers’ 9-8-1 finish was a disappointment, especially given they lost their final five games. However, Policy and Gutekunst may have weighed the number of devastating injuries the Packers faced, including season losses of three of their best players: defensive end Micah Parsons, tight end Tucker Kraft and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.

It’s unclear whether Policy and Gutekunst demanded that LaFleur make changes on his staff. LaFleur oversees hiring and firing with his staff, but that could have changed.

It’s possible Gutekunst will become a Ron Wolf-type general manager, where he is in charge of the entire football operation. Since former president Mark Murphy changed the structure in 2018, the head coach, general manager and director of finance have all reported to the president.

The coach has overseen the coaching staff, the general manager has overseen the roster and the director of finance has overseen the salary cap.

LaFleur ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in head coaching salary at about $9 million per year. His new contract should raise his salary above $12 million per year. Chicago first-year coach Ben Johnson makes $13 million and Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell makes $14 million, by comparison.