While Matt LaFleur has a whole team of Packers to coach now, his relationship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers is obviously a priority.
And one of LaFleur’s former quarterbacks thinks his old boss is perfect for that part of the job.
Baltimore’s Robert Griffin III played under LaFleur in Washington, and he thinks LaFleur’s interpersonal skills represent one of his biggest positives.
“Matt knows how to navigate those waters,” Griffin said, via Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin. “He knows how to pull out the best in people. He knows how identify and pull on what motivates you, which may be different from guy to guy.
“Most importantly, he knows how to win — and ultimately, that’s something Aaron and everybody in between can jump on board with.”
The Rodgers-Mike McCarthy dynamic was obviously strained, and having the new coach on the same page as their best player was clearly one of the Packers’ priorities in finding a new coach. And Lord knows there was some office drama to navigate in Washington when Griffin was there, but the years with LaFleur as his position coach were good ones.
“Matt’s a great coach, and a better guy,” Griffin said. “And he never abandoned me while he was in Washington or after he left. . . .
“I loved playing for Matt. He is all the things that NFL owners and executives are looking for right now — young, innovative, ambitious. When he was my QB coach in Washington in 2012 and 2013, he really helped me make the initial transition from college football to NFL football — fundamentals, footwork and just how the game is played on the pro level.”
LaFleur has also earned high marks for his work with other quarterbacks, and if he can replicate that with a guy who may be the most gifted passer in the league, the Packers will have made the right choice.