Not many coaches in the NFL get to eight seasons.
But Packers coach Mike McCarthy is hoping he’s got that many more in him.
McCarthy will tie Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr for the second-longest stint in charge of the Packers after this season, and they named the stadium after the guy in first on that list.
“Working in Green Bay, there’s nothing like getting up every day and going to Lambeau Field,” McCarthy said, via Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “I love the people I work with. I love where I work, and more importantly I love what I do. I feel like I’m at halftime, frankly, hopefully.”
On the surface, McCarthy’s run has been outstanding. He’s made the playoffs six of eight years, won a Super Bowl, and posted an 88-50-1 record.
But this offseason has been different, as he’s made it clear he’s taking a more active hand in the defense. As such, things are changing.
While Dom Capers is still the defensive coordinator, they’re adjusting that defense, moving B.J. Raji back to nose tackle and bringing in a significant free agent by adding Julius Peppers. He also admitted that he’s considered giving up play-calling in the future, though he won’t this year.
They wouldn’t even be thinking about major changes if everything was perfect. So it will be interesting to see if McCarthy makes another eight years in charge, or whether this offseason is the first sign of pressure on a coach that has been successful by any measure.