Micah Parsons, Packers players want Matt LaFleur back as coach - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Micah Parsons believes he can be back on the field within the first month of next season, and he wants Matt LaFleur to be his coach again when he does so.

The Green Bay Packers defensive end, speaking for the first time since he tore the ACL in his left knee on Dec. 14 against the Denver Broncos, said he spoke with LaFleur after Saturday's NFC wild-card loss to the Chicago Bears when speculation began about LaFleur's future in Green Bay.

«I reached out to him when I started seeing this, and I said, 'Man, when I agreed to come here, you were part of the reason why I came here, I want you a part of this and I love you and I think you're a great coach,'» said Parsons, who thinks he can play by Week 3 or 4 next season. «And he appreciated those words, and we had a brief conversation, but Matt, I think he's a great guy and I just think he cares so much, like he cares so much about the players.»

LaFleur has one year remaining on his current contract, leaving his future uncertain because Packers president Ed Policy said last June that he would prefer not to have a lame-duck coach. LaFleur reiterated his desire to remain in Green Bay. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday that the Packers are expected to try to work out a deal in the coming days to keep LaFleur.

With a 76-40-1 record in seven seasons, LaFleur likely would be a strong candidate for other openings if he and the Packers decided to part ways.

The Packers have been the No. 7 seed in the NFC, the last wild-card spot, the past three seasons and have won just a single playoff game — against Parsons and his former Dallas Cowboys team in the 2023 season. Despite six playoff appearances in seven seasons under LaFleur, the Packers have not won the