Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Green Bay Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert (7) balances a ball on his hand prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looks on during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
The Green Bay Packers entered the NFL season as one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in the NFC. But things haven’t exactly gone according to plan.
Even after Sunday’s 17-14 win over the Buccaneers and backup rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, Green Bay is just 2-2 and looks in disarray on offense. Much of the blame is falling at the feet of head coach Matt LaFleur, who took over in 2019 and led the team to three consecutive 13-win seasons, winning the NFC North all three years and reaching two NFC Championship Games.
Since then, LaFleur has gone just 38-32, and his firmly on the hot seat. He also doesn’t seem to have much support from former players.
Kurt Benkert Lets Loose On Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur
Kurt Benkert spent five years in the NFL before becoming a celebrity, of sorts, on X, for his breakdowns on NFL games. Those five seasons included one in Green Bay under LaFleur in 2021.
And it’s safe to say that Benkert didn’t exactly love his time under the coach.
Prior to Sunday’s game, he took to social media to air just some of the grievances he had with LaFleur and explain why he may not be having the success everyone expected with Green Bay.
Red Flag #1, can’t take a joke guy
I spent my hard earned practice squad money on t shirts for everyone in our QB room one day.. we wore them before big dog got in the room, thought it would be a funny way to get the day started.
Not so funny. Met with a not very happy response, requested for everyone to take them off immediately. Most obliged — even though we were a little caught off guard by the response.
One of the people that received the gift wore it for the walk up pictures the next day. Very appreciative of his gift he had been given.
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) October 4, 2026
Benkert began by explaining that LaFleur refuses to joke with his players, which leads to a tense atmosphere in the locker room. He described a situation where all the quarterbacks wore shirts referring to LaFleur’s good looks, which the head coach did not find amusing.
Red Flag #4, lack of confidence
When I was with Kyle Shanahan, he would stand in front of the entire offense and install every single play 1 by 1 with NO NOTES. Nothing but his red pen, the print out of the plays, and a cup of coffee he’d take sips of in between plays.
He would tell us exactly why he installed it, how to read it, what looks we like it for, and a few other notes he saw on film as to why he thought THIS was going to set the team up for success each week.
It was a stark difference from LaFleur who had his assistant coaches install the gameplan each week in front of the room. A different level of confidence in the game plan and even more so a different WHY behind it. It just felt different at the time and I have come to the conclusion it’s because Shanahan runs HIS scheme how HE wants, and LaFleur runs a scheme that lacks true identity imo. Reliant on copycat stuff around the league more so than others.
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) October 4, 2026
He then shared a pair of stories, seemingly in jest, about LaFleur’s lack of fashion sense and inability to enjoy low-stakes competition. But perhaps the most damning indictment is that LaFleur did not install his own game plan with the team.
Benkert explained that, relative to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, “LaFleur runs a scheme that lacks true identity and is “reliant on copycat stuff around the league more so than others.”
Yikes. That’s not something Packers fans will want to hear. Perhaps it’s just Benkert holding a grudge. But it’s certainly notable.