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By Evan Massey
Contributing Sports Writer
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Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers saw their season come to an end on Saturday night, suffering a brutal collapse in the second half after leading the Chicago Bears 21-3 at halftime.
Heading into the game, there were questions about LaFleur's future with the Packers already swirling. Now, those rumors and rumblings have grown extremely loud.
There is still a chance that Green Bay fully believes in LaFleur and will give him an extension. He has one year remaining on his current contract with the team. However, there is also a chance that the collapse opened the eyes of new team president Ed Policy and could lead to the Packers parting ways with LaFleur.
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Should Green Bay choose to move in a different direction, the question would become, who could the Packers hire to replace LaFleur?
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Without further delay, let's dive into a few names to know if a Green Bay coaching search gets underway in the near future.
John Harbaugh, Former Baltimore Ravens HC
First and foremost, Harbaugh would be the most talked about candidate to replace LaFleur. He was recently let go by the Ravens after missing out on the playoffs following the team's Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harbaugh, who is 63 years old, has put together an impressive NFL career. He has compiled a career record of 180-113.
Whether or not the Packers would view Harbaugh as an upgrade over LaFleur at this stage of his career would be the question. However, Harbaugh is a great football coach and would be worth looking into for Green Bay.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator
Another intriguing name that belongs on this list is a coach who has already been in the NFC North. Flores was a big part of helping the Vikings become a top contender over the last few years. While Minnesota fell apart this season, he's still a top coaching candidate this offseason.
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Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from the 2019 season through 2021. That experience did not go well for him, as he led the team to a 24-25 record.
Despite the rough tenure as the Dolphins' head coach, Flores would be worth an interview. He's a defensive genius and could bring a great system to a defense led by superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator
It's possible that the Packers could have their next head coach already on the staff. Jeff Hafley has been a popular name in this year's coaching carousel and is expected to interview with other teams around the NFL.
Green Bay is high on Hafley. He had some bad games this season, but the Packers' defensive talent was not great.
Simply hiring Hafley to replace LaFleur could be an option. This scenario is not the most likely choice, but he has to be added onto this list.
Kevin Stefanski, Former Cleveland Browns Head Coach
Next up, Stefanski could be an interesting option. Add in the fact that Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has already connected him to Green Bay and things get even more interesting.
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During his time with the Browns, Stefanski won the NFL Coach of the Year Award twice. He led the franchise to a 45-56 record and two playoff appearances in six seasons. Cleveland didn't give him much to work with.
Stefanski would be one of the favorites to replace LaFleur if the Packers made a move.
Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator
This is the most interesting option on the entire list. Saleh actually worked as a consultant with Green Bay following his parting of ways with the New York Jets last season.
Saleh returned to the 49ers this offseason as their defensive coordinator and has been a big part of leading San Francisco to the playoffs despite numerous defensive injuries. He would be a great candidate for the Packers to interview.
As a head coach with the Jets, Saleh compiled a 20-36 record. Similarly to Stefanski, New York never gave him much talent to work with. He should be a consideration if LaFleur is let go.
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