The Packers know how to groom future head coaches

NFL head coaches can be found anywhere. They can come from any organization at any level. There are some coaches that go the long way that jump from the high school level to the college level to the NFL level. Some can be found in other professional leagues like the Canadian Football League. Others stay with one organization and work their way up. But, it seems as if the best place to get discovered for a head-coaching role is in the smallest professional sports town in America, which is pretty ironic. That's right: Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Green Bay Packers have been coached by some of the best coaches in different eras. Of course, Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau are immortal legends of the game. Mike Holmgren was another great offensive coach that led quarterback Brett Favre and the Pack back to glory. More recently, Mike McCarthy led quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers for 13+ seasons and helped them bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy back home in 2010. For the most part, these coaches were assistants elsewhere before they were given the role of a lifetime. 

But what about some assistants that stopped off in Green Bay before they became head coaches elsewhere in the NFL? One obvious assistant coach was Andy Reid. The current Chiefs head coach spent seven seasons (1992-1998) as an offensive assistant under Mike Holmgren coaching Brett Favre and the offense. Steve Mariucci was another offensive assistant who spent four seasons (1992-1995) in Green Bay and worked with Reid and Holmgren. Jon Gruden was another offensive assistant that spent time in Green Bay for three seasons (1992-1994) before going on to win a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. What about Tom Coughlin? The two-time Super Bowl champion head coach for the New York Giants was a receivers coach from 1986-1987 for Green Bay under head coach Forrest Gregg. Mike McCarthy was the team's quarterback coach in 1999 before coming back and leading the team to another Super Bowl win.  Even more recently, Broncos first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett spent the last three seasons in Green Bay as the offensive coordinator before taking the job in Denver. 

So, the Green Bay Packers have developed a strong pattern of bringing in talented young coaches who have later become good head coaches elsewhere. Current Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has been an offensive assistant with five different NFL teams and five different college programs. He and the Packers have the most total wins in the NFL over the last three seasons (41). He has them squarely in the Super Bowl conversation in 2022 and beyond.