On one hand, the Packers could have gone through the motions for the next four weeks, waiting to fire coach Mike McCarthy on the Sunday night or Monday morning after the season ends. On the other hand, the hand that was chosen, the Packers opted to remove the Band-Aid now, ending the relationship in the 13th week of McCarthy’s 13th year and commencing the process of looking for his successor.
And so the Packers join the Browns in getting a head start on their search for a new coach, a valuable tool when it comes to commencing the process of lining up potential candidates through the back channels.
If the job is filled, it would be a bad look for various Sunday Splash! reports to emerge regarding the candidates to whom the Packers privately have reached out. Now, the Packers can begin talking to people without worrying about the potential awkwardness that would come from increased rumors and reports and chatter about McCarthy possibly being out and someone else possibly being in.
And to the extent that the Browns are interested in McCarthy, they can commence the process of talking to him directly.