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Matt LaFleur opens up on lessons from Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, and Mike Vrabel that still guide him with the Packers

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated May 20, 2025 9:42 AM ET

Matt LaFleur had a long trajectory in the NFL until reaching his first head coaching opportunity with the Green Bay Packers in 2019. Offensive assistant for the Houston Texans, quarterbacks coach for Washington and the Atlanta Falcons, offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans.

On his path, he learned from some of the top minds in football. Kyle Shanahan in Houston, Washington, and Atlanta, Sean McVay in Washington and Los Angeles, Mike Vrabel in Nashville. From each, he took important lessons that guide his leadership style and his offensive philosophy with the Packers.

During an interview with Chris Simms, LaFleur went into detail to explain the one most important thing he got from each leader.

Kyle Shanahan

Shanahan was the Texans, Washington, and Falcons' offensive coordinator when LaFleur was a lower-level assistant. So even though LaFleur is not a part of the Shanahan's coaching tree, he is the most impactful scheme figure for the Packers head coach.

"I would say one thing that Kyle always wanted to do is his influence of motion and how, number one, it hides a lot of the things," LaFleur revealed. "You might want to run a repeated play or scheme or concept, and you're going to dress it up and just the different advantages that you can gain throughout running motions, whether it's leverages on run plays, or it's allowing wide receivers free releases off the line, how it can manipulate a defense."

Sean McVay

Matt LaFleur and Sean McVay worked together in Washington first, when LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach, and McVay worked with the tight ends. When McVay was hired by the Los Angeles Rams, he hired LaFleur as his offensive coordinator for a year.

"Sean was great at, being around him, he always wanted to present a similar look and have plays off of plays," the Packers coach added. "So that was obviously a big influence."

Mike Vrabel

After a year in Los Angeles, LaFleur moved on to be a playcalling offensive coordinator for the Titans in 2018. After working under Dan Quinn in Atlanta, he had another opportunity to learn with a defensive-minded, SEO-type head coach in Mike Vrabel.

"Vrabel's a defensive guy. He'll tell you he's an offensive guy. But one thing I loved about Mike, he was always going to hold the best players to the highest standard, and I think that's important," LaFleur mentioned. "If you want to be your best, those guys gotta go out there and they gotta compete at a high level every time they touch the grass."

In 2025, Matt LaFleur enters his seventh season as the Packers head coach. And he's still willing to learn on his way to a desired first Super Bowl championship.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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