Following the Green Bay Packers’ 10-7 Week 10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football,” head coach Matt LaFleur was immediately bombarded with questions about his job security.
Though he has a 72-36-1 record in six-and-a-half seasons with the Packers, LaFleur has come under fire in recent years for his third-, second-, and third-place finishes in the NFC North, respectively, the last three seasons.
Some might say it’s a bit premature to put LaFleur on the hot seat, but others like The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, believe the 46-year-old could be coaching for his job the rest of the season.
“I’ll leave that for everybody else to decide,” LaFleur said about whether he thinks his job is at risk. “I’ll just focus on the day-to-day. … I feel like you’re always coaching for everything in this league, you know? … That’s just my mindset and that will be my mindset ’til they tell me not to coach anymore.”
While the calls for LaFleur’s job will likely only get louder with each Packers loss, some feel he could have quelled some of those unruly fans wanting him ousted if he had done one simple thing: relinquish his offensive play-calling duties.
However, as LaFleur informed reporters during Wednesday’s media availability, that’s not something he’s willing to do at this moment.
“With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling,” Schneidman tweeted.
With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling.
While the Packers are playing championship-caliber defense through 10 games, the same can’t be said of the offense.
Green Bay ranks 12th in yards per game (349.3), 15th in points per game (23.7), and it has the 20th-ranked rushing offense. The Packers also have the sixth-worst average yards per rush (3.9).
Those numbers, while not terrible, don’t exactly paint the picture of an offense poised to make a deep playoff run.
LaFleur admitted that he knows changes have to be made.
“I think that, especially as the play-caller, you’re trying to put people in the best position possible to go out there and have success,” LaFleur added, via ESPN. “And when we’re not having collective success … you have to challenge yourself to do better, to find something else in order to go out there and move the ball and score points.”
Offensive struggles are something new for the Packers under LaFleur.
In his previous six season, Green Bay had a top-11 offense four times, including having the fifth-best offense last season.
That track record is likely why star quarterback Jordan Love hasn’t lost faith in his head coach. After Monday’s loss, Love stood up for his head coach, stating no one should be counting LaFleur out just yet.
“I’ve got a lot of trust in Matt,” Love said. “That’s something that’s not wavering at all. I’ve been with Matt since I got here. I know exactly what he’s capable of, what the whole staff is capable of; that’s not wavering. It comes back to all of us — players, coaches, everybody — finding ways to improve and get better.”
“For me it’s simple,” Nix said during a press conference “I delete all of my social media. I don’t even have it. Unless they say it to my face, I don’t hear it. Nobody is ever bold enough to say it to your face.”
Bo Nix said he deleted his social media apps so he doesn’t hear anything external unless someone says something to his face.
“And nobody’s ever bold enough to say it to your face,” he said.
The admission came after a turbulent stretch for Denver, with questions swirling around the offense and the team’s direction under head coach Sean Payton – all of this despite the Broncos being 8-2 and tied atop the AFC standings.
Nix’s comments show a quarterback intent on blocking out distractions and keeping his focus on football — particularly ahead of a key matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nix said the “toughest part” of his job isn’t necessarily what happens between the lines — it’s dealing with the constant chatter around it. He acknowledged that the scrutiny comes with being a starting NFL quarterback but made it clear he no longer engages with that part of the game.
“Everybody wants to question it, you can overthink it, and that takes away from playing the game,” Nix said. “We’re all here for a reason.”
He also reflected on how sports media and fan culture often magnify every mistake or highlight reel, turning athletes into storylines rather than people.
“For whatever reason in life and in football, people think we have this opportunity to doubt or question, to hype up or tear down these guys,” Nix said. “It’s really in sport in general. We make this entertainment business a lot bigger than what it is and we forget that everybody is having a good time and doing the best they can.”
The Broncos’ second-year starter said he first learned how brutal online criticism could be back at Auburn, recalling the moment his college team’s undefeated run ended with a loss to Florida. He didn’t go into detail about what exactly happened, but the feeling afterward was ominous.
“That’s when I really got to actually know the bad side of this sport,” he said. “It’s unfortunate for sure. At the same time, it’s what comes with the territory.”
By signaling he doesn’t see social media, Nix is detailing his mindset – one focused on preparation and leadership rather than reaction. The 25-year-old is trying to insulate himself from outside voices as Denver looks to regroup and build consistency on offense.
His comments also echo a broader message that’s been circulating in the Broncos’ locker room: ignore the noise, focus on execution, and let results speak for themselves.
For a team that’s been under the microscope, Nix’s approach could help stabilize the locker room. His admission might also resonate with younger players navigating their own share of criticism. He noted that his response to adversity can set an example for fans and kids who look up to NFL players.
“It allows other people to see how you respond to adversity,” he said. “There’s a lot of younger kids and a lot of people that want to be in our shoes. They want to grow up to be just like us. Hopefully they’re better.”
Nix closed his remarks with a dose of humility, and faith, saying life – and football – rarely go according to plan. His long-term outlook suggests a player who understands both the grind and the unpredictability of an NFL career.
“If it would go like I planned, I would have won every national championship in college,” he said. “We would have won the Super Bowl last year, and we’d be undefeated right now.”
That perspective could serve him well as Denver moves deeper into the season. After an offseason of optimism and early flashes of potential, the Broncos have endured their share of ups and downs. But Nix’s decision to tune out the noise may be the first step toward recalibrating both his own focus and the team’s energy.
For now, he’s not interested in headlines, tweets, or public perception. The only opinions that matter, he said, are the ones inside the locker room.