Packers coach Matt LaFleur to face
off against Cardinals' Mike LaFleur at joint practice
[August 25, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur had his
tongue firmly planted in cheek as he discussed how he would make
sure his players avoid fights in their joint practice with the
Arizona Cardinals.
“If there’s an issue, I’m going to tell the guys, ‘Hey, you come tag
me in. They can tag in my brother. And we’ll throw down on the 50,’”
LaFleur joked on Monday.
Wednesday’s joint practice at Green Bay will mark the first time the
LaFleur brothers have coached against each other since Mike LaFleur
was hired as the Cardinals’ coach. They’ll also meet Friday in a
preseason game at Lambeau Field.
Matt LaFleur was asked about his parents’ potential divided
loyalties this week.
“They’ll probably look like a Christmas tree — green and red,” he
said.
The LaFleurs have been on opposing sidelines plenty of times,
including when the New York Jets had joint practices with the
Packers at Green Bay in 2021. Mike LaFleur was an offensive
coordinator with the Jets from 2021-22 and Los Angeles Rams from
2023-25.
Now, they're both head coaches.
Mike LaFleur said the desire to have a joint practice in Green Bay
wasn’t necessarily because of the family ties. He just wanted cooler
weather than the Cardinals get in Arizona.
“If we could have gone to Seattle to go against them, that would be
great,” he said. “Well, they’re in our division, so we’re not going
to Seattle. There’s no team in Canada yet. And you’d rather not go
all the way out to Buffalo, just from a travel standpoint. So you
think about that next closest team to get you out of the heat, it
really is Green Bay.”
The 39-year-old Mike LaFleur said he also spoke with the Minnesota
Vikings shortly after Arizona hired him, but they already had
scheduled their joint practices.
He appreciates the opportunity to work out in a town with Green
Bay’s football tradition. The Cardinals plan to ride bicycles from
their locker room to the practice field while accompanied by
children, just as the Packers do each day during training camp.
“There’s a ton of fans there,” Mike LaFleur said. “I mean, it’s
Green Bay. What else are you going to do?”
Both coaches said there are advantages to facing each other because
of the trust that exists between them.
[to top of second column] |
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur responds to a question
during a news conference after an NFL preseason football game
against the Denver Broncos Friday, Aug. 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP
Photo/David Zalubowski)
Matt LaFleur, who is 46, noted that the Packers
conducted joint practices with Houston in 2019 and were careful
about what they showed because the Texans’ staff included John
Pagano, the brother of then-Chicago Bears defensive coordinator
Chuck Pagano.
“But I think when it comes to this situation, I don’t have any
hesitation or reservations,” the Packers coach said.
Those family ties also should assure that each staff delivers
similar warnings to their teams this week as fighting in joint
practices comes under scrutiny.
The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints were each fined $500,000
by the NFL last week after their joint practice featured a series of
brawls.
“You do want to send the same message to both teams,” Mike LaFleur
said. “Let’s call it what it is. These joint practices, flip a coin
on what could happen sometimes. Obviously we know the ramifications
now, what the league can do as well. I do think that will change
some people’s opinions on what the code of conduct should be.
“It’s been good. We’re on the same page with how we’re going to
conduct this thing.”
And what did Mike LaFleur think about his older brother’s challenge
to square off at midfield if things get out of hand?
“We’ll see what happens,” the Cardinals coach quipped.
Injury notes
Matt LaFleur said DT Warren Brinson will “miss a little bit of time”
after tweaking his calf in pregame warmups Friday. The injury
prevented Brinson from playing at Denver. … Packers CB Brandon Cisse
practiced Monday after a knee issue forced the rookie second-round
pick to leave the Broncos game.
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