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UW’s Leonard plans to interview for Packers vacant defensive coordinator position

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Jim Leonard

Wisconsin Badger defensive coordinator Jim Leonard is expected to interview for the vacant Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator position.  The Packers are looking for a replacement for Mike Pettine, who they decided not to bring back after his contract expired at the end of this past season.

Leonard has served as defensive coordinator at UW since 2017.  Last season, UW finished fifth nationally against the run (96.1 ypg) and fifth in total defense (299.9 ypg).

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur started interviewing candidates over the weekend.  The list of candidates includes Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero, L.A. Chargers defensive passing game coordinator Joe Barry and current Packers secondary coach Jerry Gray, who has previous defensive coordinators experience with Buffalo and Tennessee. [Read more…]

Packers part company with Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine

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Mike Pettine

Just days after head coach Matt LaFleur publicly criticized a defensive play call from Sunday’s NFC Championship game loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Packers decided not to bring Pettine back in 2021.

The Bucs scored on a 39-yard touchdown pass on the play in question and it drew the ire of the coach after the game.

“It was man coverage…definitely not the right call for the situation and you can’t do stuff like that against a good football team and expect to win,” LaFleur said.  “You just can’t do that stuff.  I blame us as coaches for putting our guys in that situation.  That’s inexcusable.  That should not have happened.  So we’ve got to take a look at it, do some self-reflection and try to figure out ways on how that can’t happen again.”

ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky first reported that Pettine never signed a contract extension that was offered to him after last [Read more…]

Reports: Shawn Mennenga fired as Packers Special Teams Coordinator

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Shawn Mennenga

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spent the day meeting with his coordinators and word out of 1265 Lombardi is that Shawn Mennenga will not be back for the 2021 season.

The Packers struggled on special teams all season.  They ranked 29th out of the NFL’s 32 teams in Rick Gosselin’s 2020 NFL Special Teams rankings.

The Packers allowed a league-worst 17.1 yards per punt return and they were dead last in average yards (18.9) per kick return.

Mennenga joined the Packers in 2019, along with head coach Matt LaFleur.  He was previously the special teams coordinator at Vanderbilt and was an assistant special teams coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2011-2017.

 

Butler’s Hall of Fame bid falls short

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LeRoy Butler

Former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler’s bid to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame fell short for a second straight year.

Butler was a finalist for a second straight season but revealed via Twitter on Wednesday that he once again came up short of the required number of votes for induction.

The formal announcement of the 2021 class will take place on February 6.

Butler remains the only member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1990’s team that has yet to be added to the Hall of Fame.

The finalist group consists of 15 players and as many as eight of those 15 could receive induction. Former Packers defensive back Charles Woodson is expected to be part of the 2021 class in his first year of eligibility.

Packers season comes to an end in NFC Championship

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After working all season to secure a first round playoff bye and home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, the Green Bay Packers season came to an end in the NFC Championship game, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Tom Brady threw for 280 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions and will play in his 10th Super Bowl in two weeks, this time on his own home field in Tampa.  Brady will be in search of his seventh Super Bowl title.  To get there, the Bucs had to beat three division winners, including the Packers on Sunday.

The Buccaneers (14-5) will face the Kansas City Chiefs (16-2) on Feb. 7 in Super Bowl 55.  No team has ever played in a Super Bowl on their own home field before.

The Packers (14-4) picked a bad time to play their worst game of the season, seeing their seven-game winning streak come to an end. [Read more…]

Ted Thompson passed away at age 68 (AUDIO)

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Ted Thompson at 2019 Hall of Fame Ceremony – WRN Photo

One of the great architects in Green Bay Packers history, Ted Thompson passed away on Wednesday night, just days after his 68th birthday.

With Thompson as the teams general manager, the Packers compiled an overall regular season record of 125-82-1.  The Packers also made the playoffs nine times during his 13-year tenure, posting a 10-8 postseason record.  It included four NFC Championship games (2007, 2010, 2014 and 2016) and a 2010 Super Bowl victory.

When Thompson took over, his very first draft pick in 2005 was Aaron Rodgers (24th overall).  That pick put the Packers in the competitive drivers seat for years to come.

“I’ll never forget your loyalty,” said Aaron Rodgers during a prerecorded video at Thompson’s 2019 Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  “I’m going to always be thankful for the time I had to spend with you, and the fact that you took a chance on a [Read more…]

Packers get rematch with Tampa Bay in NFC Championship

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Lambeau Field

The Green Bay Packers will face Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Sunday’s NFC Championship game (2:05 p.m) at Lambeau Field.

Brady threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score as the Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints 30-20 in the NFC Divisional playoffs in New Orleans.

The Packers advanced on Saturday with a 32-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Packers and Bucs met earlier this season, a week six matchup that saw the Bucs blow out Green Bay 38-10 in Tampa.

Green Bay and Tampa Bay have met once previously in the postseason.  The Packers beat the Bucs in the 1997 NFC [Read more…]

Packers one win away from Super Bowl

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8,456 fans at Lambeau Field on Saturday

Aaron Rodgers passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 32-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams, advancing to next Sunday’s NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field.

It’s Rodgers fifth appearance in the NFC title game, but the first at Lambeau Field.  It’s also the second time in two years that Matt LaFleur has led the Packers to the NFC Championship game.  The Packers lost last years NFC title game 37-20 to San Francisco.

The Packers used all three of their running backs on Saturday.  With the Rams trying to take Davante Adams away, the Packers used a heavy ground attack to rush for 188 yards on 36 carries, a 5.2 yards per carry average with two touchdowns.

Aaron Jones led the way with 99 yards on 14 carries and a score.  Jamal Williams added 65 yards on 12 carries and A.J. [Read more…]

Packers hoping COVID-19 stops with Veldheer as playoff game approaches

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The Green Bay Packers placed offensive tackle Jared Veldheer on the reserve/COVID-19 list after he tested positive just two days after his arrival from Indianapolis.  Now the Packers are hoping the buck stops with Veldheer as they get ready for their NFC Divisional playoff opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

A good sign that the Packers may not be further affected by Veldheer’s positive test is the fact that standard contact tracing didn’t deem any other players as close contacts.

Now, as the Packers continue preparing for Saturday’s game against the Rams, they’re crossing their fingers that no additional positive tests surface in daily testing.

Veldheer was signed off the Colts practice squad at the very least, to provide depth at the tackle position during Green Bay’s playoff run.  He started Saturday’s game between the Colts and Bills at left tackle and helped the Packers during last year’s playoff run by playing in their divisional playoff win over Seattle.  Now, he’ll have to miss this week’s game.

Veldheer practiced with the Packers on Tuesday before his positive test was revealed on Wednesday morning.

 

Packers add Veldheer for second straight season

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With David Bakhtiari out with a season ending ACL injury and Rick Wagner’s knee issues, the Green Bay Packers added some insurance for the playoffs by bringing back tackle Jared Veldheer for a second straight postseason.

The Packers signed Veldheer off of the Indianapolis practice squad, after he started at left tackle in last week’s Colt’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.

Prior to last week’s playoff game, Veldheer hadn’t played a game all season.  His last action came with the Packers in a playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks.

The Packers had Monday off and return to the practice field on Tuesday, as they get ready for Saturday’s NFC Divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.