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Packers planning for long-term future that includes Rodgers
Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur say they expect Aaron Rodgers to remain their teams starting quarterback in 2021 and beyond. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur say they expect Aaron Rodgers to remain their teamโs starting quarterback in 2021 and beyond. The subject came up again when Rodgers discussed his future after the NFC championship game. Absolutely he will be here for a long time.โLaFleur also said Monday he is promoting Maurice Drayton, who worked as assistant special teams coach this past season, to take over as special teams coach. The Packers announced Friday that special teams coach Shawn Mennenga was fired and that Mike Pettine wouldnโt return as defensive coordinator.
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Aaron Rodgers' 'uncertain' future hangs over Green Bay
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) walks off the field after the NFC championship NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)GREEN BAY, Wis. โ Aaron Rodgers said he's not sure what his future holds in Green Bay. Green Bay allowed a total of 16 sacks in its other 16 games. The NFC championship game reflected the occasional inconsistency of Green Bayโs defense under Pettine. Green Bayโs most notable flaw during its seven-game streak was its occasional tendency to have a breakdown on special teams.
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Road warriors: Bucs win 31-26 at Green Bay, reach Super Bowl
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) holds the championship trophy after winning the NFC championship NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. The man with six NFL titles will become the first quarterback to play a Super Bowl on his teamโs home field. No, a host team in the Super Bowl has never happened in 54 previous games. Green Bay hasnโt reached the Super Bowl since its 2010 championship season. Green Bay cut the lead to 28-23 late in the third quarter on Rodgersโ touchdown passes to Robert Tonyan and Davante Adams.
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D-coordinators bring head coaching chops to NFL title games
But all are credited with providing a steady helping hand, a sturdy shoulder and a willing ear to their teamโs current head coach. PETTINEPettine went 10-22 (.313) as head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2014-15, before joining Matt LaFleur, who was named Packers head coach in 2018 after just two seasons as an offensive coordinator, a year each with the Rams and Titans. Arians brought along Bowles, whom he coached at Temple in the mid-1980s and who had been his defensive coordinator in Arizona from 2013-14. It began with Frazier saying he didnโt want McDermott to make the same mistakes he did as a first-time head coach. Itโs a business with a lot of egos, a lot of people concerned with who gets the credit.โSPAGNUOLOSpagnuolo, 61, compiled an 11-41 record (.212) as head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11 and as interim head coach of the New York Giants in 2017, when he went 1-3.
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Ted Thompson, 68, GM when Packers won last Super Bowl, dies
Thompson was Packers general manager from 2005-17 and drafted many notable players on the current roster, including two-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)GREEN BAY, Wis. โ Ted Thompson, whose 13-year run as Green Bay Packers general manager included their 2010 Super Bowl championship season, has died. Mike Sherman had been working as Packers coach and general manager up to that point. With Thompson as general manager, the Packers made eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2009-16, including the Super Bowl championship season in 2010. Gutekunst, who had been working with Thompson as player personnel director, was promoted to general manager and remains in that position.
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Bills among the NFL's 4 defenses peaking in the postseason
Buffalo Bills' Micah Hyde (23) celebrates with teammates after an NFL divisional round football game against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. โ Leslie Frazierโs faith in his Bills defense never wavered even at the lowest point of Buffaloโs season. It was mid-November and the Bills were entering their bye week on the heels of a 32-30 defeat at Arizona. In the NFC, the Packers are allowing an average 306 yards offense over their past seven outings. Here comes Patrick Mahomes, should he clear the NFLโs concussion protocol, and the leagueโs top-ranked offense.
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3 title game quarterbacks have similar draft history
The Packers then made Rodgers the starter in 2008 and have made the playoffs 10 times since then with one Super Bowl title. TOM TERRIFIC: Tom Brady can join some illustrious company with a win this week for another Super Bowl appearance. Brady will appear in his staggering 14th conference title game in 19 seasons as a starter when Tampa Bay visits Green Bay on Sunday. MIGHTY MATT: Packers coach Matt LaFleur is back in the NFC title game for the second time in two seasons as an NFL coach. All those coaches reached at least one Super Bowl in those years with the exception of Ryan, who lost to Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.
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Chargers hire Rams DC Brandon Staley as head coach
FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, file photo, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley watches his players before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Miami Gardens, Fla. On Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, the Los Angeles Chargers hired Staley to become the team's head coach. (AP Photo/Doug Murray, File)COSTA MESA, Calif. โ Brandon Staley won't have to move that far for his first head coaching opportunity. Staley agreed to become the Los Angeles Chargers' coach on Sunday night after one season as the defensive coordinator for the crosstown Rams. โItโs not just that Brandon possesses a tremendous football mind that makes him the ideal head coach to lead our team forward,โ general manager Tom Telesco said in a statement. He is the third assistant under Rams coach Sean McVay to get an NFL head coaching job, joining Green Bay's Matt LaFleur and Cincinnati's Zac Taylor.
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Friends as playoff foes: Packers' LaFleur faces Rams' McVay
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay say their friendship and shared history shouldn't have much of an impact on their teamsโ upcoming NFC divisional playoff matchup. The top-seeded Packers (13-3) host the Rams (11-6) on Saturday with an NFC championship game berth at stake. San Franciscoโs head coach is Kyle Shanahan, who worked at Washington with Matt LaFleur and McVay from 2010-13. LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach on Quinnโs Atlanta staff from 2015-16 and worked for Mike Vrabel at Tennessee in 2018. They reunited in 2017 when McVay became the Ramsโ head coach and hired LaFleur.
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Packers won't have Pro Bowl OT Bakhtiari for rest of season
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (69) plays during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov 29. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari will miss the rest of the season after the three-time Pro Bowl selection injured his knee in practice Thursday. Weโre still sad and hurting for Dave just because itโs our brother and itโs our left tackle, our teammate. Pro Bowl selection Elgton Jenkins has made 11 starts at left guard, two at center and one at right tackle this season. Turner has started six games at right tackle, four at right guard and three at left tackle.
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Rodgers-led Packers beat Lions 31-24, clinch NFC North title
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Detroit. Rodgers ran for a tiebreaking score in the third quarter and threw three touchdown passes, lifting the Green Bay Packers to a 31-24 win over the the Detroit Lions to clinch the NFC North title. โTo have the whole thing come through Green Bay is something weโve talked about for a long time," Rodgers said. โThat would definitely be in our favor with the weather that we have in Green Bay. Green Bay repeated as division champion with its win and Minnesotaโs loss to Tampa Bay earlier in the day.
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Packers' versatile offensive line keeps overcoming injuries
โWeโve been able to roll a lot of guys in on the offensive line, started a lot of combinations,โ Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. When Linsley left the Bears game, Green Bay shifted left guard Elgton Jenkins to center and inserted Runyan at left guard. Green Bayโs offensive line is coming off arguably its best performance of the season. โThese guys are professionals, man,โ offensive line coach Adam Stenavich said. Jenkins started games at every offensive line position but right guard at Mississippi State.
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Cook's 4 TDs help Vikings knock off Packers 28-22
Green Bay had the ball at Minnesota's 41-yard line with 12 seconds and no timeouts left, but D.J. Each of the Vikingsโ first four possessions ended with Cook touchdowns. Green Bay went a 2-point conversion got within 28-22 when replays determined the ball crossed the goal line on Jamaal Williamsโ inside run. Green Bay got the ball back and reached Minnesotaโs 41-yard line with 12 seconds and no timeouts left, but D.J. Four times in the second half, Green Bay reached Vikings territory without scoring.
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Pandemic limiting what NFL players can do on their off weeks
The Packers (4-0) and Detroit Lions (1-3) donโt play this week and therefore are the first NFL teams to get a taste of how different off weeks will be amid a pandemic. โWe have new protocols in place that are meant to keep everybody safe and healthy,โ Lions coach Matt Patricia said. The NFL sent out a reminder Friday that the leagueโs agreement with the NFL Players Association in August means players who miss tests can be punished with a $50,000 fine. โYouโve got to look no further than Tennessee.โThe protocols are impacting some players more than others. While the protocols have changed those plans, it has created opportunities for those players who already have their family members with them.
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Despite far more support, kneeling might not be widespread
(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)NFL players who want to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism have far more support than Colin Kaepernick did four years ago. Lastly, some owners might still have an issue with it despite the leagues support of the players. Whatever our team ends up doing, were gonna support. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones strongly opposed kneeling when Kaepernick began the movement and he hasnt spoken on the issue. ... theyve all dealt with something at some point, whether its with the police or another interaction of just blatant racism, said Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
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Rodgers says Packers' decision to draft Love surprised him
FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2019, file photo, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers speaks during a news conference following an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers in Kansas City, Mo. Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre predicted on The Rich Eisen Show earlier this month that Rodgers would finish his career somewhere other than Green Bay. When asked whether the Packers draft choices might motivate Rodgers, LaFleur said the veteran quarterback doesnt need any extra incentive. Favre was 35 when the Packers drafted Rodgers. The difference is that Favre openly pondered retirement at the time the Packers drafted Rodgers, and Rodgers has talked about how he wants to play several more years.

Packers and Bears reverse roles in NFL's 100th season opener
Getty ImagesCHICAGO - The NFL's oldest rivalry takes on a different look to open the league's 100th season. It's a role reversal for the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. In Rodgers' experience the Packers trust, even using a new offense for the first time since he became starter in 2008. SAFETY SWITCHThe Packers will start free agent safety acquisition Adrian Amos, the former Bears safety, while his Bears replacement is former Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. "It really doesn't matter, all the hoopla, kicking off the NFL season, the 100th season," Trubisky said.