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A New Atmosphere Permeates Packers’ Team Activities

Rob Born by Rob Born
June 4, 2019
in Articles & Analysis
8

We’ve already witnessed major differences regarding the general manager changeover, in 2018, from Ted Thompson to Brian Gutekunst. Now we are all watching changes taking place during the McCarthy-LaFleur coaching transition. New strategies, different play calls, attitudinal differences. . .

Of all the changes I’ve read about, among the first and most noticeable is the players adopting a new approach to their work. The Packers are once again enjoying their jobs – they are having fun!

The Packers gathered as a team on April 23 for their first practice since December. With Matt LaFleur now in charge, the first thing that was noticed by a Fox News reporter was: “After two difficult seasons for the Packers, LaFleur wants to make things fun again.”

Jason Wilde, writing for the Wisconsin State Journal, got the same impression back in April: “New coach Matt LaFleur wants his guys to have fun while they’re working.” Wilde reported after the second day of minicamp that receiver Davante Adams is enjoying the changed atmosphere:

“I love it. The music playing at practice, having fun, jelling together — it’s a little bit of a different dynamic. It adds a little bit of a youthful vibe to practice, and a little bit of juice. And it’s contagious, too.”

Wilde noted that music was played inside the Don Hutson Center throughout minicamp practice, not just during breaks, and he added:

“LaFleur has encouraged his players to enjoy their jobs as much as they can. While that’s undoubtedly easier now, before the team has played – much less lost – a game under their new coach, the different atmosphere is palpable.”

When asked about where his philosophy on fun comes from, LaFleur made reference to working for Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn in 2015 and 2016:

“Who doesn’t want to have fun when they go to work? I want to. It kind of goes back to my time in Atlanta, just seeing the environment, the culture that Dan Quinn instilled in our organization. I just think that you get more out of people when they enjoy what they do.”

When the full team gathered for organized team activities (OTAs) on May 19, Matthew Schmidt of Clutch Points noticed the change in quarterback Aaron Rodgers:

If there is one thing Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn’t having over the last couple of years, it was fun, but apparently, that is changing. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur says that he is enjoying his time with Rodgers thus far, and the feeling appears to be mutual. “I think it’s going great, man. He’s fun to be around,” said LaFleur.

During the early OTAs, Brian Jones of 247 Sports got this quote about Rodgers from La Fleur:

“You can see how much fun he has out on that field, but we’ve had a lot of good conversations and I think we’re growing together. The more time that we can spend together, I think we’ll have a better feel for each other. Certainly, it’s been a lot of fun up to this point.”

Coach Matt LaFleur
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After two seasons of failing to make the playoffs, the players appear eager to start fresh with their young and energetic new head coach.

Whether the fun training atmosphere will help the team achieve wins is anyone’s guess, but I’d say that almost any departure from what the Packers’ ways were under McCarthy is welcome news.

When I googled “Mike McCarthy” and “fun,” about all I came up with was McCarthy reminiscing, following his firing, that coaching Rodgers was both challenging and fun. That was perhaps so in the duo’s early years together, though it’s apparent that Aaron wasn’t having much fun on the field over the past two years.

There is one quote by the ex-coach, however, of which players, coaches, and fans can all agree: “Winning is fun.” It’s not profound, but if the fun in Green Bay is to flourish throughout the 2019 season, it needs to be accompanied by several more wins that the team achieved in 2017 (7) or 2018 (6).

Tags: Atlanta FalconsBrian GutekunstDan QuinnJason WildeMatt LaFleurMike McCarthyTed Thompson
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Comments 8

  1. Avatar for PF4L PF4L says:
    4 years ago

    I agree, a light and happy atmosphere is a healthy thing.
    *
    But at some point, “…….” and “………” will have to show up.
    *
    Cranking up the tunes and joking around is the easy part, unfortunately there is more to it than that and i’ve waited this long for it, i guess i can wait a bit longer.
    *
    Some may know the two words i purposely left out.

  2. Avatar for KILLER KILLER says:
    4 years ago

    Thought you guys would like this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSwTH8gCJHY&feature=player_embedded

    • Avatar for Packtat87 Packtat87 says:
      4 years ago

      That seems banner worthy for the Vikes.

    • Avatar for Big B Big B says:
      4 years ago

      What team has LOST more NFL post-season games than any other……..
      That would be your Minnesota Vikings with 26, but they probably offset that with Super Bowl wins…….
      Zero? You don’t say.
      Just saw replay of the 1998 NFC Championship and savored the sweet ending.
      Their window closes in two years and then cap hell brings Armageddon to Spielman and Zimmer.

    • Avatar for PF4L PF4L says:
      4 years ago

      lol Packtat87…..
      *
      Folks, lets try and keep this real and give the queens credit where due. Lets show them the respect they deserve for winning an NFC Championship game not long ago..if memory serves, i believe it was 1976. The same year Lonely Boy’s grandfather bought his daughter her first trailer home to bring her new baby boy home from the hospital.

    • Avatar for Jason Parker Jason Parker says:
      4 years ago

      Clay Matthews helped contribute to that

    • Avatar for Deepsky Deepsky says:
      4 years ago

      “This is not Detroit man, this is the Super Bowl”.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2TZQlVPvjk

      Thought you might enjoy this.

    • Avatar for PF4L PF4L says:
      4 years ago

      Yea deep, that was a special moment, one i could never forget. Next to the Packers winning multiple Super Bowls
      that might have been the most enjoyable moment iv’e had watching TV. The next most enjoyable thing to watch is youtube video’s of queens fans losing their shit over it…lol
      *
      1976 was a good year, back when you could fill your tank up for $3.50
      *
      F***ing priceless.

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