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The piece Matt LaFleur could add to the Packers staff to improve his efficiency as a head coach in 2025

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wendell Ferreira | Last updated Jan 27, 2025 10:14 AM ET

A lot has been discussed about Matt LaFleur's final stretch of the 2024 season. Mismanagement of the clock and some questionable decisions were part of the problem, even though there are conversations about what he did as a playcaller.

As an offensive mind, though, there's not any type of substance to support complaints. LaFleur is an elite play designer and playcaller, and he shouldn't even consider the possibility of giving up that part of his job.

However, it's still possible to improve and to find pieces to his coaching staff that would help him be a better head coach. A potential answer is Doug Pederson, the former Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach.

Before the Packers faced the Jaguars in Week 8 this past season, LaFleur talked about his perception of Pederson’s work as a coach.

“I think they are well coached,” LaFleur said. “He's always done a great job, I've got a lot of respect for Doug, not only as a football coach, but as a person.”

Role

In 2024, the Packers added Robert Saleh and Luke Getsy during the season as consultants. LaFleur has also a track record of adding experienced coaches for a full season in these types of roles—in 2023, the team hired former Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester as a senior analyst, as after a year he left to be the Iowa's offensive coordinator.

Doug Pederson was fired by the Eagles after Carson Wentz exploded, and he was in a tough situation with the Jaguars with Trent Baalke as his general manager. There were certainly mistakes along the way, for sure, but Pederson showed great signs of leadership in both places, winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017 and leading the Jaguars to a playoff appearance (and a win) in 2022.

As a senior analyst, consultant, or even assistant head coach, Pederson could help LaFleur with gameplanning, decision making, and quarterback development.

Track record

Doug Pederson knows Green Bay very well. He had two stints with the Packers as Brett Favre's backup quarterback, including a Super Bowl ring as a part of the 1996 roster. In total, he played eight seasons with the team.

When he retired, Pederson immediately took over as a high school head coach at Calvary Baptist Academy in Los Angeles, where he stayed for two years.

Pederson has been an extremely successful offensive mind in the NFL, working as a quality control coach and quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs under Andy Reid, and head coach in Philly and Jacksonville.

After two consecutive head coaching jobs, Doug Pederson wasn't a consideration for any of the openings in this cycle. At least so far, his name hasn't been mentioned for offensive coordinator openings either. So, the answer about what he can do in 2025 is with his old team.

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

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