#370 Packers Unscripted: Eye on the future

at Si Lombardi Avenue and cut to the chase. The Packers lose at home to the Arizona Cardinals, and within a couple of hours head coach Mike McCarthy has been relieved of his duties and the Packers are moving on and the eyes are on the future. They are Mike, you obviously you know Mark Murphy, Brian Goodkins, all the primary party spoke on Monday about where things are headed and what the eye is with the future and in

building over these next four weeks. You know, Murphy, I thought was pretty candid and explained his thinking well in terms of what the thought process. Was certainly a very difficult loss the Arizona Cardinals, a team that Murphy go to kunst Uh Aaron Rodgers in the locker room afterwards

said they need to beat that team. They didn't get it done, They didn't play well in that contest, and Murphy felt like the time was right, time was needed to make a change, and it now becomes on Joe Philbin will be the interim coach here for the rest of the month, and the Packers will get a chance to begin their process now of selecting will eventually be

the fifteenth head coach with the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, And I think one thing Mark Murphy made pretty clear is that no decision had been made that in as much as the Packers had been struggling through the month of November, some close losses, tough losses on the road, tough venues, all of that kind of stuff, there was always the hope and the support to try to turn things around, like the Packers did in sixteen when they were four and six and ran the table the NFC Championship,

Like the Packers and Mike McCarthy did in two thousand and nine when they lost a terrible game mid season to a really bad Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and were four and four, and people were wondering then about Mike McCarthy's job security. Aaron Rodgers, in his second year as the starting quarterback. Where is the franchise headed? They rip off seven wins in their last eight regular season games, get to the playoffs, and that became the start of

eight consecutive postseason berths. There were other obviously low moments that Mike McCarthy, his leadership Aaron Rodgers that pulled the Packers out of it. They weren't pulling out of it

this year. And essentially, when the decision was made then that Mike McCarthy would not be the head coach in twenty nineteen, there was no point in hanging on and having any kind of a cloud over the franchise over the last month of what was going to happen, and this and that, it's the decisions made you move on. It's Joe Philbins team for the final month. He's auditioning in some respects to potentially be the head coach in

twenty nineteen. But it was also stated pretty emphatically that there's gonna be a wide net cast here, no no doors being closed, no parameters being put on the upcoming search. As far as offense, defense, college experience, pro experience, UM, the doors are wide open here. Mark Murphy, Brian gudunts are going to go look for the next man to lead the Green Bay package. Yeah. Murphy also said that he and Brian also were in unison and in concert with each other on Sunday night to make the decision

to remove Mike McCarthy's head coach. It's still somewhat surreal, as you said, Mike, it's been forty eight hours later. But obviously when you've had a man that's been in that role for as many years as he was, Uh, it's it's different. I think you felt that in the locker room on Monday. Brian Bulaga was effusive in his praise.

I I give Blog a lot of credit. He's he's stepped up and I think at at he's played well on the field, but in the locker room he's really been a voice in there this season and had to talk through some really tough moments. And he said, you know, when you look at McCarthy, it wasn't just the coach

he was. He was a phenomenal coach, but it was also the man, and it was that man that steered them through a lot of dark times, uh, in challenging times over the last ten you know, ten twelve years that being said, there is a lot of confidence in Joe Philbin. He's been there, a lot of these veterans know him. The young players have been impressed by him. And although Philbin said this isn't about his future. This he's not thinking about that. He doesn't really care to

speak about what his chances are landing this job. He wants to get the team back on track. And while he does that, Murphy Goodkins can start looking towards trying to figure out what exactly they're looking for the next head coach of the Green Bay Packers. One of the things I wrote an insider inbox was that when you look back at I think specifically the legacy of a guy like Ted Thompson. He hired one head coach and he drafted Aaron Rodgers with his first pick. That's set

the future this franchise up. That foundation that they still stand on today was solid because of that. Now, in this next phase of this thing, Murphy and Goodacounts are gonna look to do the same thing. Yeah, and it sounds like it's going to be a collaborative effort. Mike Mark Murphy questioned pretty fiercely. I guess you might say in terms of why he's the one in charge of making this decision, not Brian Goudacounts. But he said he's not going to hire a coach that Brian Goodacounts is

not comfortable with. That he used the phrase actively involved. I I took it to mean that it's going to be a collaborative effort between the two of them, but somebody has to have the final say, and the final say um the contract offers, so to speak, however that materializes, is going to be made by Mark Murphy as the Packers move forward here and as I said before, no parameters on it at this point, except he did clarify that it's not going to be a decision or anything

happening before the end of the regular season. It's something that is going to carry um at least into January, and a lot of a lot of other questions obviously will come up between now and then, But the Packers are in no rush to do this at this moment. Yeah, and especially with how attractive this job is going to because here's the thing, Mike, and and the question was asked a couple of times of Murphy and then also to Aaron Rodgers in the locker room about how far

away this team is. Would you qualify this as a rebuild, and Rogers said he really doesn't view it like that. He views it as Murphy's mindset is to win now. And and with having Rogers, they're having a promising young running back with with Aaron Jones Davante Adams at the peak of his powers. There are a lot of good, strong playmakers on this team. I think there are a few places the Packers this offseason need to fill some holes,

need to build some depth. But overall, when you look at when you when you set out on a path to start building a team, if you're completely rebuilding, you want your you want your quarterback, you want your receiver, you want your left tackle, you want your cornerback. Packers have a lot of those guys, So it's just about

being finding the right person to bring them along. And I was walking around at lambeau Field this morning, Mike kind of just thinking to myself and working on a story on Joe Philbin and and some other things that I've been assigned, and I was thinking about this and it really did hit me in that the Packers in in the situation that they're in right now, Yes, it's difficult and it's a tumultuous time. You don't like upheaval,

especially in season. But at the same time, this is the first time they've really been able to press reset in quite a while. And it is a it's a year to year league. This wasn't the Packers year, But I don't know if that necessarily means that next year can't be. I think Mike McCarthy coming in two thousand and six and you know, a year after that being able to lead them the NFC Championship Games shows you

how quickly these things can turn around. But it is all at this time about finding the right fit to make that happen. Yeah, and I want to talk a little bit more about what you said about about next year, but to take care of some sponsor business. The Green Bay Packers get ready for game day with the powerful noise canceling technology of Bo's Quiet Comfort thirty five headphones.

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Official sup partner of the Green Bay Packers. I am totally on board with you West with regards to the fact that and what Aaron Rodgers said that this is not a rebuild. There are pieces in place, and in this league, things can turn around very, very quickly. The Packers are going to be going into an off season. It will be Brian Goodakun's second offseason as general manager. We saw him make some aggressive moves in free agency. Those will be obviously evaluated. Unfortunately one of those ended

an injury with Mohammed Wilkerson. You know, Um, But the approach in the off season is going to we already aw in Goudacum's first offseason it was a very different approach and he's going to He's also going to be going into this next draft with two first round picks, both the Packers and the New Orleans Saints. Um, so as it looks right now, one of those will be in the top half of the first round, the other one obviously in the bottom half of the first round.

But at the end of the day, it's two first round picks. It's two of the first you know, two and a half dozen players to come off the board. The opportunity, the opportunity is here to makeen the anomaly. And I know was also a losing season, but when you lose your starting quarterback games, okay, that didn't work out, that that sort of falls into a different category. But the opportunity is here to make um the exception not

the rule for the Green Bay Packers. And that's when when this bad season hit rock bottom with a loss to an Arizona Cardinals team that should not be able to come into Lambolefield in December and beat the Packers. When you hit rock bottom, then it's like, okay, it's uh, it's time to move on and and and not wait around and uh. And the reason the decision is being made now is because Murphy and Goudacount's believe that this team is not as far away as a four seven

and one record might suggest. Well, and it's not going to get a lot of headlines because of how things have gone this season. I know a lot of people like to bring up the two thousand fifteen draft and how that didn't really work out for the Packers, but you know, two thousand sixteen was a strong draft for them. You're seeing Kenny Clark really become his own player, one of the top nosed tackles in this league. Dean Lowry has three sacks in the last four games. Blake Martinez

has turned into their every down inside linebacker. I think the early returns on this eighteen draft, the first one of Brian Goodacunst, have been really good. Alexander like a legitimate shut down cornerback in this league. He's twenty one years young, carries himself like a thirty year old All pro. Uh, there is a lot to build around when you're just talking about trying to find more playmakers, find guys to build a defense around, find players to potentially be able

to put around Aaron Rodgers. It's all right in front of them in that regard. So yeah, I think getting two picks in the first round, I've said it since Goodkin's made the trade. You go back to the last time the Packers did. It was two thousand nine. Now, mind you what happened on the day of the draft

when they moved up to get Clay Matthews. But when they took two stabs at it, Ted Thompson set the foundation there for a couple of top five, top ten defenses for a couple of seasons with Clay Matthews and b J. Rogie. So yeah, I don't I don't think it's that far away. The bigger thing for the Packers. I think, looking more at the immediate what's in front of us as it stands is, and I wrote about this an inbox, it's a matter of pride right now.

There's a lot of prideful people in there that have been to the top of the mountain, that know what it feels like to be a world champion, that now for the first time, are going to be challenged here for four or three or four games to play the string out too, to not be in quote unquote playoff company contention. I understand there's a percentage chance right now, but but that I think is gonna be the biggest thing.

And that's where a guy like Joe Philbin, the way he carries himself, I said, he's the epitome of class. It's gonna be up to him. Mike Petton runs up to be able to rally the troops here, finish this season strong, and then, you know, maybe try to find some momentum to be able to build into this offseason. Well,

let's be honest, your west. If you're a player in the Packers locker room and you're not a veteran player with a secure contract so to speak, just to put guys in a certain category, these last these last four games, there's nothing more competitive than NFL football and roster spots and anybody's future in this league. You're talking about a new draft class that comes in every year, undrafted rookies, free agent signings, everything else. The guys in that locker room,

you know, it's what you put on video. Now these last four games, there's gonna be there's gonna be new leadership. There's been change, but how you finished this season, both individually and collectively, is going to go a long way towards some of the decisions that are made in the off season. And and these players are not are not

naive to that fact. So while some people out there maybe wondering, well, you know, do you just do you just sit Aaron Rodgers and you know, play all these young guys you know, and and look towards the future

and play it like preseason games. I'm not saying those young guys aren't going to get a certain amount of reps and snaps and stuff, but you also have to find out if the players that you have in that locker room right now, if under some different leadership, if there is more to get out of them, and if there is and if they are going to be part of the future. And that's what Brian Goodakutsen his personnel

staff are going to be watching over these final four games. Absolutely, it's a great point you make, and in looking at Aaron Rodgers specifically, Joe Witt said it, to the best of his knowledge, he's not in any increased danger right now playing through that knee injury that hurt him, you know, bothered him early in the season. He even said he looked as mobile, as active in the pocket as he's

been all season in that game against Arizona. So if there's no ad at injury concerned there with Rogers for the long term, he's going to play, and he's gonna play one because he's the leader of the team and that's what he's paid to do. But too, I don't think it would be fair to a guy like Davante Adams to sit Aaron Rodgers at the juncture the season. Davante Adams has laid it on the line for you every single week, and yeah, he wants to win, Yes he wants to be in the playoffs. Yes he wants

to be able to get a Super Bowl ring. But the fact of the matter is Davante Adams put together a pretty special season. We talked about it as recently as last week, where he's lined up right now a hundred yards season, potentially setting new franchise records. You want to give him the opportunity to do that, to finish strong, to put together that complete season that kind of has eluded him in the past for one reason or another. You also want to get guys like Jake Kumero some

snaps here. Listen, Mike, and I said this to you earlier this week. It's a great story. It's phenomenal what he's been able to do and get to this level. We gotta see if he can do it in the NFL regular season. Now, you need to give him that chance. You need to be able to see exactly what you have going into the preseason next year. Robert Tany and some of these guys on the defensive side of the ball. Tyler Lancaster, how does he fit into a potential rotation

moving forward. All those things are so critical right now because here's the reality of it, Mike, the Packers playoff chances could go to zero depending on a couple of scenarios after this weekend, and there aren't a whole lot of play the teams on this list coming up that you're gonna be able to play spoiler For the Jets and in Lions, their seasons are pretty much are what

they are. So it's a matter of being able to get up for those contests and show what your metal, show what you're made of, and being able to to prove to Brian Goodickun's and the guys in that locker room that I deserve to be a part of the long term pans of the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, I

totally agree with you. One thing I want to do before we go today, though, is just to reflect for a few moments on the Mike McCarthy tenure here in Green Bay, because there aren't a lot of guys in this league who get their first head coaching job as Mike McCarthy did in two thousand six. And last, this is a guy. This is a guy who is the

second long is tenured coach in Packers history. Second most victories are five in the regular season plus ten in the postseason, obviously a Super Bowl championship, mentioned the eight straight playoff berths, four trips to the NFC Championship Game. But even all that said, West, what I'm going to remember about Mike McCarthy are the times that his leadership was so sorely needed and he came through to lead

this team through some tough times. And I'm talking about not just four and six and run the table in but the failed Merry Game in two thousand twelve, when everything could have completely fallen apart um from um, from just an attitude and leadership standpoint, amongst many people in the organization, Mike McCarthy was the one who stood there and gave the most dignified response to the whole thing. And what ends up happening, the Packers still go to

the playoffs. In two thousand twelve, they put they put that behind him. I mentioned the Tampa Bay loss in in two thousand and nine when Tampa Bay was winless and they were having a first year of first start for a rookie quarterback, and the Packers went down and lost that game, and everybody wondered where that was going. And this is the head coach who had insisted on

Aaron Rodgers was ready in two thousand and eight. This was the guy a year and a half into that two thousand and eight and half of two thousand nine, everybody was wondering where this was going. And then we saw where it was going after that. So and I could go on and on about the list, but those are the things that I'm going to remember about Mike McCarthy. Yes, things went south in it happens in this league. It happens to the best coaches in this league. It doesn't

mean that Mike McCarthy doesn't know how to coach. I think he's going to get another job this offseason if he wants one, and I would expect him to be

successful again. But but there's things aren't Things don't feel good right now, but in time, there's gonna be a lot of really really neat stuff to remember about these thirteen seasons with Mike McCarthy and Mark Murphy said it to and when you look at what Andy Reid has done now going to Kansas City, these guys, you know, the truly elite coaches find ways to make it work in other locations. And Mike McCarthy again, if he wants to do that, we'll see exactly where his heart lies

and what he wants to do. As far as his next step, that's certainly available to him. And you you raise a great point. I think two thousand eight is something that always is going to stand out to me. The conviction he had in his system in the development of Aaron Rodgers to push forward with that. You know what this league is like, Mike. It would have been really easy to roll over, just say yep, come back, Brett, lose Aaron Rodgers a year or two later, and then

then you gave up arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Um, But him and Ted Thompson stayed true to that. They stayed true to themselves in two thousand and sixteen, through the ups and downs. They did it in two thousand nine, two thousand that regard, I give him all the credit in the world. From a personal perspective, mine is a little bit different because I was on the other side of this thing for a number of years, covered him critically for five years. I wrote all the story in

two thousand fifteen about where is this team heading? Are they lose? Is he losing it? How are they falling apart? They started six and oh and now you're you're scrambling and he brought him back. And the thing that's always gonna stand out to me after I got hired here at Packers dot Com, set up in his office with him and talked for a while a long time about my life, where I was at, where my family was at,

my decision for coming on board. And I gotta give Mike McCarthy a lot of credit for how welcoming he was too, an outsider uh that asked a lot of tough questions and wrote a lot of uh interesting stories over the years. UM but yet always was incredibly welcoming to me and asking me, regardless of what the win loss record was or what the result had been the night before, how I was doing, how my family was doing, what my plans were for the off season. Gonna miss

those conversations and uh, I dealt. Mike McCarthy's a loyal viewer of Packers Unscripted. But I have yeah, I have a feeling he's not. But he's okay. I don't blame him. I got Ben Sheets to send me an autographs. It has it has special power sometimes. But yeah, if he's out there checking us out, big thank you to him for that, all right, and we will call it a wrap with that on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team

on Packers dot com on Twitter. He's at west Hot, I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody. We'll see you next time.