Former Packers QB reveals turbulent relationship with Matt LaFleur
Matt LaFleur is universally seen as a coach willing to give power to his players. But that doesn't mean everyone will like him. Kurt Benkert, who was on the Green Bay Packers roster between 2021 and 2022, revealed on "Benkert and Blevins Bros" podcast that his relationship with the head coach was bad by the […]
Matt LaFleur is universally seen as a coach willing to give power to his players. But that doesn't mean everyone will like him.
Kurt Benkert, who was on the Green Bay Packers roster between 2021 and 2022, revealed on "Benkert and Blevins Bros" podcast that his relationship with the head coach was bad by the end of his tenure in Green Bay.
When asked about who was the worst coordinator Benkert had worked with, the quarterback expanded the scope of the question to say his bond with LaFleur was less than ideal, which led to his cut from the Packers even before training camp started last year.
"I played for Dan Quinn, who I absolutely love. I really loved Kyle Shanahan, and LaFleur and I really butted heads, and I will just be very honest about it. The beginning, things were really good. By the time that I got released from the Packers, transparently, I went home after an OTA practice, and I just told my wife, I cannot do this anymore. It is driving me insane, because I was just getting it. It's offseason, Aaron Rodgers wasn't there to lighten up the mood. A lot of coaches had left, some players had left, it was that new year, and I ended up getting cut, like, three weeks later, thankfully. He was just unloading on me every day, and I didn't take it anymore, and that's why I ended up getting cut. And it kind of left a really sour taste in my mouth, because I freaking loved Green Bay. I rode for it, like, dude, it was just, like, that's, that was my experience at the end."
Kurt Benkert spent most of his first three years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2021, he had a workout for the Packers alongside Chad Kelly, who's now in the Canadian Football League, and ended up being signed. He spent almost the entire 2021 season on the Packers practice squad, but was elevated and even appeared on a kneel down in one game.
Last season, after being cut by Green Bay, he spent some time with the San Francisco 49ers. Later, he played two games for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL, before suffering broken ribs.
By the time the Packers released Benkert, it was a relatively surprising move. He had been decent in the 2021 preseason, and Green Bay moved on from him to stay with journeyman Danny Etling as the third-string quarterback.
Right now, beyond Jordan Love, head coach Matt LaFleur is working with two quarterbacks. Fifth-round rookie Sean Clifford is on the 53-man roster, and USFL MVP Alex McGough is on the practice squad.
It's the first time a quarterback speaks negative things publicly about their relationship with Matt LaFleur. Prior to that, the Packers coach had been praised by players like Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Matt Ryan, and Robert Griffin III, for example. For LaFleur, it's natural that he will be closer to that position, since it's where he is a specialist.
Before being the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator, he was a quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins and Atlanta Falcons in the NFL, plus a one-year experience at Notre Dame.
LaFleur himself was a quarterback — at college, for Western Michigan and Saginaw Valley State. Professionally, he played indoor football for the Omaha Beef and Billings Outlaws.
Three things Jordan Love learned from Aaron Rodgers, according to Matt LaFleur
Packers QB was a backup for three seasons
