Matt LaFleur - Head Coach, packers Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-17 | Full transcript (primary source).
Matt LaFleur, Head Coach of the Packers, addressed the media during a press conference on September 17, 2026, to discuss player injuries and their implications for the team's performance. The focus included updates on players in the concussion protocol and the challenges posed by defensive pressure.
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Transcript
Unknown: When did Van Ness and Hargrave end up in the concussion protocol?
Unknown: Van Ness, Monday, Hargrave, yesterday. Is that just the residual effects of something happening?
Unknown: Apparently, yeah.
Unknown: Before you'd be dating long-term?
Unknown: I mean, I think that's always the magic question. You never know with the concussion. That's why there's a protocol.
Unknown: You talked about how the importance of pressure from specifically the defensive tackle position. So I'm just curious, from an offensive perspective, if there's steady push from the middle, just what extra challenges does that add for an offense?
LaFleur: Well, I think the number one thing is, first of all, it's very hard to throw with internal pressure in your face. I mean, you typically got to move. And a lot of times, you know, you want a nice clean pocket where a quarterback can step up into the pocket. And when you get that internal pressure, that eliminates that possibility.
Unknown: Like crazy, the Jets have. What challenges does that present?
LaFleur: I think the more personal groupings an offense possesses, just the more prep that goes into it, because now you've got to have multiple ways to defend all those different personnel groupings.
Unknown: Did you ever see five before with them the way they deployed them?
LaFleur: I think there was five at 1.1. Yeah, I missed that one. That was JG. Hopefully, I'm sure he saw that one.
Unknown: Banks get through the other day. He had a good day at work. So hopefully he can get back out there today and continue to build upon that.
Unknown: Is that going to be a season one thing you think where his availability is in doubt each week?
LaFleur: You know, I think that's something that we'll find out in time. I sure hope not. Unfortunately, over the last couple of years, I've learned that that's not always the case, especially up front. We've had a lot of guys that have been in and out, and that's just the way it is.
Unknown: I know Trey has shown he's had an ability to make some long field goals. I think there was something, I think Elias said, that was the longest that any kickers had in his debut for 59 yards. How do you think he's handled that, and just what has he shown you in terms of just the overall leg strength?
LaFleur: Yeah, well, I mean, he's shown us exactly who he thought he could be. But yeah, I think it speaks to the confidence that he has in himself. Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in him just to put him in those situations. Never want to put a guy in that situation for his first kick, but done that a couple of times now. So hopefully we can do a better job offensively to put him in a better position or just have him kick PATs is what you really want. But now he's done a great job, but as we all know, you're only as good as your last performance, and he's got to continue to build upon these.
Unknown: When you have a steady running game to lean on, specifically in the red zone, just what benefit can that do for the offensive?
LaFleur: Well, it just keeps you on schedule, so you're not in those known past situations, and then you get more coverage-heavy defenses typically. That makes it a little bit more difficult to throw the football.
Unknown: Is it already a more difficult part of the field to throw just because there's less?
LaFleur: Oh, yeah, absolutely. You get down in the red area, the coverage gets tighter, obviously. There's just less grass to defend down the field vertically, so corners can squat if it's a free-access coverage. A lot of it kind of depends on the coverages, and then sometimes it's a guessing game because you could call a concept meant for one coverage. You get a different coverage, and it looks absolutely terrible. It gets gloved, and that's where you need your quarterback to be able to make those off-schedule plays, so it's much more difficult in the red area.
Unknown: Because of the way the Vikings game played out, you're probably not able to run the ball as much as you would have liked to, but it's in the way Marshall was able to get through that game and deal with the hits that he gave. Does it give you a sense of confidence that, okay, this guy can take those carries?
LaFleur: Yeah, I think he did a good job, and it's something to build on. And I think we've been building, I would say throughout the course of the off-season, throughout training camp, into those preseason games, and now we're here, so hopefully we can just continue to build him up. And I think he's shown a lot of confidence that he's able to do it, and that gives me confidence.
Unknown: Hey, Matt, you mentioned JJ yesterday. What kind of player and teammate was Enigbari?
LaFleur: I mean, I remember actually one of his best games as rookie was against the Jets. Yeah, I think I got a lot of respect for JJ. Just how he competes, I mean, he is a tough, gritty guy, is able to set hard edges in the run game and then get after the passer, so I think he's a really versatile player. I think he showed well week one versus the Titans, and I'm sure he's going to be hungry to get after us a little bit.
Unknown: Matt, on Monday, we asked you about Michael Parsons and whether or not he could be ready to practice in week two. You said give us an update later in the week. Is there anything that's changed on that?
LaFleur: Well, yeah, I haven't even asked about that. Probably a couple weeks.
Unknown: One more. Matthew Golden, Christian Watson, turns in in 80 yards. Matthew takes out Isaiah Rodgers. Do you see MG improving and looking for someone down the field like that on a play like that?
LaFleur: I mean, Watson's long. Yeah, I mean, that was a dicey play right there. It's about as close as you can get, but I think it says a lot about you as a teammate, how you work without the football, and if you're trying to get a block for your teammate, for your brother. And that was a great job by him. We always want these guys running after the ball because you never know what could happen. I think defenses these days have done a really good job of just stressing the importance of punching the ball out. So that's, I would say, one of the main reasons why you always want people chasing the ball, but yeah, we always want guys to get those downfield blocks because those take explosive plays and make them into touchdown plays.
Unknown: You mentioned the red zone just being so much tighter and more difficult to prep for. How do you still remain aggressive in the philosophy, even though aggressive doesn't always have to be downfield and long plays? How do you still remain aggressive in that philosophy in the red zone?
LaFleur: I think it's all about being on schedule. That opens everything up, the run and the pass, and when you get behind the sticks, then you kind of become pretty predictable in what you're going to do, and most teams are going to throw the ball in the longer yardage situations.
Unknown: With Van Ness and the protocol, what have you seen from Mosby and Kelly throughout training camp and early on this year?
LaFleur: Yeah, I think those guys had great training camps. So in the event that he can't go, I expect one of those guys to be ready to roll.
LaFleur: I think he's going to be ready to go.
