You’re not sneaky, Matt.
Matt LaFleur got his guy.
Barely two weeks after the New York Jets – and definitely not Aaron Rodgers – made the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh, Saleh was spotted on the sidelines of Green Bay Packers practice. It’s not particularly surprising – NFL coaches without jobs do this sorta thing all the time, and the two go way, way back.
The bigger question was whether Saleh was joining the Packers’ staff in an official capacity, or whether he was simply there to give advice/have someone to talk to with all his newfound free time.
While talking to the local media during his usual press conference, LaFleur got into some more specifics on the team’s plan for Saleh, and also managed to get a Jets barb in there. He truly is one of the NFL’s elite coaches.
Matt LaFleur took a not-so-subtle shot at Jets for Robert Salah firing
LaFleur shed some light on Saleh’s role with the team and why he’s returning to football so soon, while also taking a subtle dig at the Jets for their decision to move on from his close friend.
“I just think it speaks to how much he loves the game of football,” said LaFleur. “Obviously, I think it’s tough when it gets kind of taken away from you. I don’t think it was the right decision but that’s not for me to say.”
It’s lowkey a great line from LaFleur. He doesn’t think it was the right decision and that’s not for him to say, but also, he’s just going to say it.
It also quietly gives more of a look into LaFleur’s real opinion than one would think: in the NFL, it’s basically sacrilege for coaches to question another team’s coaching decisions – both good or bad – so it’s telling that LaFleur feels comfortable openly criticizing the Jets’ decision.
LaFleur also revealed some details about the plan for Saleh moving forward.
“We’ve been close for a really long time,” LaFleur said. “We were roomates together back at Central Michigan. Thought it was a good idea to bring him here, and he’s helping us on the offensive side of the ball. I think that’s always good to have that perspective – that defensive perspective on that side of the ball. Just taking a look at some of the things we’re doing … “
If nothing else, the decision to bring Saleh in is just another testament to the power of friendship, and also maybe the power of hating Aaron Rodgers.
