LISTEN | The Jets Offense Under Mike LaFleur (3/2)

a number of people, including head coach Robert Salah. Well, you gotta jump around if you're talking to somebody has covered the forty Niners for more than a quarter century. Phenomenal guests gave us a tremendous information. Uh, you know, we talked about all Brick at length last week with the Orlando leadbetter the Atlantic Journal Constitution. Now Matt was able to tell us about the truck of Mike la Fleur, and he's been tied with Kyle Shanahan throughout his NFL career.

Actually started out as an intern with Cleveland Browns when Shanahan was there. Of course, Shanahan becomes the offensive coordinator

with Atlanta and la Fleur follows him there. Interestingly enough, m la Fleur worked on the same staff there in Atlanta with his brother Matt Lafleur, who is now, of course, the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, and then he's been with Shanahan ever since with the San Francisco forty Niners, um so Robert Salo when he got this job, boom, he brings La Fleur with him and brings the Shanahan offense to New York. And La Flora is very young and he's never called plays before, but Matt Mayoko had

great insight. He was inside the quarterbacks room at the Senior Bowl when the forty Honers coached the Senior Bowl in two thousand nineteen, and he has some great insight about what La Flora is like, what coach Salo is like, and a couple other members on the Jets staff as well. I don't want to give too much away, but it

was I would say it's a positive review overall. And I think, and you tell me if you disagree with this, but it feels like Mayoko is confident in La Fleur being the offensive coordinator for the Jets, not only because of La Flour and what he brings to the table, but because of the staff that's around La Fleur as well. Oh yeah, and that speaks to why is Robert Sala here?

Because he is the CEO, and he surrounded himself with very good men and a lot of those guys came directly from San Francisco, but a lot of ties um to Sala in that coaching staff. But again, these guys, um, I think, are known for their work ethic and they're known for bringing a culture with them and that's going to be instituted throughout the Jets building and on the field. And Michael Floor, while he might be young in years, he knows this offense inside and out. He's got a presence.

And we know Robert Sale's got a presence, that is for sure. And coach Salad did say that nobody knows this Kyle Shanahan offense better than Michael Flour And with that, let's actually hear from Matt Mayoko. When you heard that Robert Sala had accepted the Jets job, were you surprised at all that Michael la Fleur was tabbed to be his offensive coordinator? Not one bit, now, not at all. I kind of figured that that was the way it would go. It was to me it was a lot

more of just where would Robert Sala end up? I mean, I think everybody here felt like he was going to be a head coach. It was just a matter of where. And the one team that I always kind of looked at was the Detroit Lions because of just the connections there to the Detroit area for Robert, and also Michael Fleur now Matt la Fleur was Robert Sala and still

is one of Robert Sala's best friends. I think they're best men in each other's weddings, and they've known each other for a very long time, and so Roberts had that connection with the la Fleur family for quite some time. And you knew that the forty Niners systems, both offensively and defensively, they're very sound, and you knew that wherever Salad would go, he would want to bring that kind

of Kyle Shanahan kind of offensive system with him. And so Mike la Fleur was very much the person that you knew that he would be the guy that would be tabbed as the guy who would have autonomy to to install his offensive system. So in terms of the floor, I feel like at least a lot of Jets fans don't know a ton about him, mostly because he's so young and he's been under Kyle Shanahan for a long time. So what can you tell us about Mike la flour Well,

I mean, he's an energetic guy. He's he's a good guy. He connects well with players. I've seen him at the Senior Bowl in in nineteen he ran the quarterback meetings with the Senior Bowl quarterbacks and that class it was Gardner Minshew will Greer was there, Jared Stidham, and Tyree Jackson or the quarterbacks. So the four of the irons were nice enough. Uh, Kyle, she was nice enough to allow me to kind of have access in the meetings and watching, and so I did see just how he connects,

how he stands out a board, commands the room. Very knowledgeable guy. Uh, from a football family. His brother, as I mentioned, is Matt Lafleur, the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. So I think it's been tremendous experience for him to have a little bit of coaching experience and then come into that Kyle Shanahan system and learn from from one of the best. And what Kyle, you know, is considered one of the best play callers in the game. And so Kyle never gave up the play calling aspect

of it. But what he did was he delegated to Mike Lafleur and Mike McDaniel, who is now the forty Niners offensive coordinator. They did not have a offensive coordinator title with the team for four seasons, but it was Mike la Fleur and it was Mike McDaniel who would put together the game plan and then present the game plan for any given week to Kyle. They would go through it. Of course, Kyle Sanahan would have veto power and he would could add and subtract and do whatever.

But the plays being called on game days were basically the collective effort of Mike McDaniel and Mike la Fleur. And I don't know if you even know this, but two years ago, whenever Matt Lafleur became the head coach of the Backers, he wanted Mike Lafleur, his own brother, on his coaching staff, and Kyle said no because at that point, you know, teams were allowed to block coaches from coordinator positions. Now you can't block a non coordinator

from becoming a coordinator. So he couldn't block Mike Lafleur this time. And part of it was. He felt like it was just gonna be Kyle Shanahan felt like he was just gonna be a lateral move, you know, from from basically a non play calling position to another non play calling position, so he wouldn't have been able to block Saw. Because Mike Lafleur, that's gonna be his offense. He's gonna design it, and knowing Mike, it's going to be a very collaborative effort with all the coaches on staff,

including Greg Knapp. I know pretty well. He's the passing game specialist there, of course, so it'll be a collaborative effort um that that Mike la Fleur will be involved with every step of the way, and it'll be his first time calling plays, certainly at this level, so it'll be interesting to see how he adapts to that. Listen, Matt, if anyone wants to know anything about the San Francisco forty Niners, they come to you because you've been covering

the forty Niners for more than a quarter century. Now, with that being said, I don't look that old, do I know? You look great? You look great, I would say, Matt, though, how would you describe the Mike Shanahan Kyle Shanahan system, because I'm starting to call it this just just the Shanahan system that Mike la Fleur is gonna bring here to New Jersey and put his own imprints on it. But how would you describe how they go about trying

to attack an opponent's defense. Yeah, that that's a great question, and it's it's multi pronged. I think that you know, so much of it is, you know, the the outside zone running system, and we saw it with with Mike Shanahan and with Alex Gibbs, the offensive line coach back in the day, where they could just it seemingly just plug in running backs and that if you're on the team, you're going to get a thousand yards. And it was

one after the other after the other. Um. But so much of it is knowing the defense they're playing against, and knowing the rules of the defense they're playing against, and kind of stressing them to test their rules. Well. One of the things that Kyle does is he doesn't want any standalone plays in a game plan. In other words, they're just not gonna pick plays out of thin air and put them in a game plan and run them in games. There has to be a reason for them.

So even if a play fails, you know, let's say a play gets you know, running play gets thrown for a four yard loss, they don't consider it a negative play necessarily because that plays in there for a reason, and it's it could be to set up another play

down the road. Uh, and so it it's it really tests the defense by showing different formations, motions and and even in the running game, you know, there are plays or actually in the running game or passing game, there are plays that start off you know, the first split second of a play looks like maybe a play that was run in the first quarter, but it's completely different. And if they can catch defenses cheating or anticipating, uh,

that's what they're trying to do. And then the down the other side of that is to create some indecision with the defense. You know, the team's defensive teams that are able to diagnose a play from formation and the

way a play starts out is one thing. But what they do is they test the defense by showing them the same looks on occasion or the same principles on occasion, but then give having switch ups that really exposed the defense, so that that's probably the main thing that that that offense will will try to do and try to exploit against the defense they're playing. What kind of players or what type of players do you think fit this offense best.

I know it's hard to project what exactly Mike Laflour will do and how will throw in his own wrinkles. But in the Shanahan system and what you've seen, how would you describe the perfect players that fit in this system? Well, I mean, first off, I'd say smart and in good character, football character and off the field character. Um. I think that you know, for each I think athleticism is a big thing, and that goes for the offensive line as well.

Athleticism is a big thing. For running backs, it's you know, kind of guys who fit that zone blocking scheme of one cut and get up the field kind of no nonsense running, uh, not a lot of dancing. Um. I think for for wide receivers, it's it's versatile guys. You know, guys who can run the jet sweep and and um, you know, can get open quickly against man coverage. And I mean, I think those are some of the principles some of the things that they'll be looking for as

they build that thing out. Um, you know guys that that are willing to be coached and uh, you know fit what they're looking for from that standpoint of athleticism is a big thing. And you know John Benton, the offensive line coach, will you know, he'll be hammering the same things. You know, they'll be working on the same drills from the first day of O T a s if there are O T s this year, all the

way through the end of the season. You know, every practice they just try to you know, solidify the you know, the the skills the techniques that they that has been so successful and really time tested through the years. And like you said, dating all the way back to my Channahan system with Denver and Washington and basically everywhere Kyle has been they've kind of had the same elements of being able to run the ball, use play action off

of it. And he's had, you know, quarterbacks who had really good seasons, whether he's with Houston, UH, Cleveland, Washington, Atlanta and now the forty Niners. So perfect segue right there by the veteran covering the forty Niners. Why is this a quarterback friendly system? Think about Jimmy Garoppolo two thousand nineteen, starting sixteen games for the first time in his career. They went thirteen games, advanced the Super Bowl at a time point lead. Unfortunately, weren't able to close

the deal there. And you go back to two thousand sixteen in Atlanta and Matt Ryan was never better than that two thousand sixteen campaign. A lot of similarities, unfortunately, because Atlanta had that second half lead and they were unable to put the Patriots away. But quarterbacks have excelled in this system time and time again. Yeah, I think it's because they are coached up so well to know

what to expect. You know, so much of being a quarterback in the NFL is anticipation and you know, even knowing maybe not knowing where to go with the ball pre snap, but certainly knowing where not to go with the ball pre snap based on the kind of defense that that they're seeing in the in the play call.

So what Kyle is able to do, or what Mike Lafleur will will try to accomplish as well, is to create situations where there are guys running wide open and it's if if they get that the defensive call their right defense against this play call this is going to happen, and they really do a good job of coaching up

their their quarterbacks to for to anticipate that. You know, if this safety is here, this play over here is gonna be wide open, and so it's being able to use the elements of the running game, uh, setting things up. And I mean a lot of times. You know, we see George Kittle all the time. It's kind of funny, you know, you sit up there and you're you're watching the free hours play and you kind of smirk and you go, it might be a good idea for that

defense to to cover George Kittle. He's a pretty But if we see it time and time again, we're just you know, whether the motions, the routes they're they're running, how one route might be a clearing route to set

something up underneath for another guy. You will see guys, I would I would venture to guess you will see guys from the first game of the season, several times a game just running wide open and you'll see defensive backs turning, turning around and looking at each other and throwing their hands up, going I thought you were supposed to be there. I thought you were so and that's what they do. They really test the rules and really

stress defenses in that way. You mentioned Greg Nap, you mentioned John Benton too, assistant coaches now with the Jets, and that forty Niners Jets connection that is starting to establish. I know we're talking about Michael for but what can you tell us quickly about Nap and Benton. Well, yeah, John is going to be you know, I think they do all kinds of blocking schemes, but he's very much

into the techniques of that zone, that outside zone. It's kind of the bread and butter, and he will be looking for you know, they put a lot on the plates of their offensive lineman the center of the guards to get out there, and they're very well schooled, and so you know, I would think that, uh, you're gonna see you know, dramatic bumping production from the running game. You know. Great Nap, I know, Uh, he's he's worked with Peyton Manning, he's been or the league a long time,

very good quarterbacks coach. Uh and and he's he's just a good guy as well relates to players. So it's a really I really like that coaching staff. I mean, it's it's a bunch of guys. We haven't even talked about the defensive side yet, but you know there are there's some a good connection, a good combination, I said, should say, of guys who've who've been around. Greg Nap has been around for a while. You michaela Flour who can really lean on on Greg because Greg has been

in that chair a lot in the past. You have Taylor Embree, you have Miles Austin. Uh so you have this really good connection of of guys who have experience and young guys and and fresh ideas. So, uh yeah, I think Greg Nap is one of these guys that, um I kind of liken him to, you know, a backup quarterback or or a veteran quarterback who is there to really assist the young quarterback and and kind of

provide his knowledge to make the young quarterback better. I kind of see Greg in the same way because he's been through it all and he's seen a lot of different things in the NFL, so many different directions we can go with you, Matt. So I'm gonna throw two

questions at you, and they're not connected. Uh. Since you've covered the forty niners for so long, what do you think about Jeff Albrick being named the defensive coordinator here a long time forty nine are linebacker of course, drafted in two thousand out of Hawaii, and I believe he played there ten seasons. And then let's get to Robert Sala,

the head coach of the New York Jets. Do you think that experience in San Francisco will really help him coming to New York a team that won two games last year, considering what the forty Niners did their first three seasons and totally remaking that roster, putting their systems in place, and then ultimately getting to a championship game

in that third year. Yeah, I think so much of what Robert Sala will do is just and I'm sure it's been said already a lot and it almost becomes cliche, but talked about the culture inside the building, Well, it's going to take a while to get the culture the

way he wants it. I mean, I think that you know, anytime you see a coach or new regime come in, it takes them a while to kind of figure out both on the field, you know, schematically, and also just kind of in the locker room, which guys fit and which guys don't, and so that that takes a while to to kind of sort out. It's not something that just takes place overnight. But the thing I think that can take place overnight is the culture within the coaching staff.

And I mean looking at at the staff that he's put together, I mean that's a that's a really solid staff and I would expect nothing less from from Robert Sala And you know, he made his Hey, you know, he got the opportunity. He got in the door with the Jets, and I think every team that had an opening except for the Houston Texans, I think they were the only team that did not interview him for a job.

What got him in the door was the performance of the forty diners defense, in other words, what he did as a defensive coordinator. But that's not why I think he's going to be a good coach, and I don't think that's why he got the Jets job. I think he got the Jets job and he became a really good head coaching candidate because of his interpersonal skills and his vision for how he expects things to fit together, and so much of that is just how creating the

right environment to in a winning environment. And from his standpoint, it doesn't mean, Hey, I'm gonna be the head coach, but I'm also going to be the defensive coordinator. He sees it as I'm I'm the head coach of the team, and I'm gonna oversee everything. But I'm not gonna be coming you know, I'm not gonna be a micro manager for uh Jeff Albrick. And Jeff Albrick one of the smartest players I've ever covered. And you know, I remember when he was decided to retire a few years back.

I mean he had already, you know, the last several years of his career. I mean he was compiling like binders of information of what he would do as a coach and as a coordinator. You know, he had everything mapped out, you know that that he would do. So he's been preparing for this for a long time, even going back to his playing days. And so I see Robert Sala as somebody who will pop in the the offensive meeting room. He'll he'll be in the defensive meeting room.

He'll be there to share ideas and offer suggestions or be there to answer questions. I'm sure Jeff will lean on him a lot, But I think it's it's gonna be a really fascinating experience watching them performed, because I think that, like I said, it's not so much the XS and those that was impressive about Robert Sala. It was just how he managed people and how in my mind, he really is a CEO type and somebody that people are gonna want to coach for and players are gonna

want to play for. That was a fantastic breakdown. I feel like we've asked you about every single Jets assistant coach at this point, including the head coach and the offensive coordinates. We haven't talked Mike Rudenberg. We haven't. There's a couple that might hit the cutting room floor, which is okay because my last question to you, Matt is with free agency approaching, the forty Niners have a lot

of players with expiring contracts. Who do you think makes the most sense for the Jets if they decided to go in that direction. Yeah, I think there are quite a few. I would put number one at that lit on that list would be Kawan Williams. Nickelback really good at what he does and they call him the Shark here because he's a little guy but man, he plays with some ferocity and they can do a lot of

different things with him. Robert Sala has a lot of trust in him because that is not an easy position, that might be the most difficult position on the defensive side, playing you know, the slot uh receiver, that nickelback position, and he's a local guy there. I would think that the well, the Fortners definitely want him back, but I think the Jets that would be very high on their list and somebody that's he's not going to break the bank. Uh. It's gonna be interesting to see what the Jets would

do if they would want Richard Sherman. He's not coming back to the forty nine ers and he's kind of in that spot though where he has some health issues. There might be a time, uh in the very near future where he can transition to safety. Whether the Jets would want to do that, I don't know. But you're talking about a really good locker room guy, someone who's incredibly smart, knows the defense better than anybody, so he could really be an asset as far as helping the

locker room kind of getting grained into that style. So those are two names that definitely come to mind. For guys that I would think the Jets would certainly go after Kawan Williams. It would shock me if they did it, and then Richard Sherman would be a possibility as well. Final final question here, Um, because you've been so good. You were in that room watching Shanahan work with the quarterbacks and Mike Lafleur. What I've heard about him so far early on in his Jets tenure is he really

commands a room. Green's before talked about his age, but I don't think people view him as a guy in his young thirties, just as somebody who really knows the offense in and out, and much like sala is going to be working with the players to make them better. Yeah. No, I think he's got he's got the it factor. You know, he's Yeah, he does have a command, he's very smart, he's he's you know, he speaks well, he's uh, you know,

he's decisive. And you know, when I'm sitting in a room, you know they're they're talking to foreign language, right, I mean I really have no idea what they're talking about. But even not knowing, you know, the terminology, the playbook. Um, the way he's able to explain things and relate things and engage people. Um no, as I've just been really impressed with him. And I mean there's a reason, you know, conn and put a lot on their plates, you know,

put a lot of Mike la Fleur's play. And after year one, I think his I think he came to the forty Nags with maybe the title Passing Games Specialist and then after a year, uh, Kyle decided to give him a title change to Passing Game Coordinator. So you know it was you know, ceremonial in some ways, but also, hey, I think of you as a coordinator. You're not the offensive coordinator, but I think of you as a coordinator. And I can tell you one thing. I mean, Kyle

Shanahan is tough. You know, he's he's tough on his players, He's tough on his coaches. He expects you know, I don't know about perfection, but he expects a very high level of, uh, of just being competent and and knowing your stuff. And so for Michael Fleur to to withstand, you know, many years working with Kyle Shanahan probably tells you everything you need to know. And just how important was for Kyle Wile while he had that opportunity to lock him in and make sure he didn't go anywhere.

He made that a priority. Is that Michael Flour is going nowhere and tell you know that time comes where I have to let him go and let him spread his wings. And now that time is here with the New York Jacks, great stuff from Mayoko, and we touched on free agency. At the end of that interview he mentioned Kawan Williams and Richard Sherman. Well, just really quick on free agency. We're recording. It's March one, so the legal tampering period. Well, first of all, it's crazy that

it's March first. The madness is here, Eathan, the madness is here. We're approaching the one year anniversary of the day in which we were told that we were not going to come back to the office for the foreseeable future. That was March thirteenth of last year. I remember getting the email was Friday thirteen. You're good with that. So for people at home to give some more insight on who you are. After we did the bioblast on Michael

Flour and find found out more information on him. Ethan is the kind of guy who will park his car at one jets drive and visually can remember every license plate on the business side. That's very impressive. I don't know about every single license plate, but there there are some license plates up here. I've been called occasionally as

the rain Man of the license plate. Well, let's give some context, because I think the one day I was filling something out like I don't know my license plate number, Yeah, and you randomly jumped to my office and you just you just threw it out there, and I was stunned. Yeah. Well, my favorite story is one of our former co workers was staying out of a hotel and he wanted to valet his car and he was at the concierge desk

and needed his license plate. So instead of remembering it or going out to his car, he texted me and said, hey, that's my license plate number, and I gave him his plate number, and then you know, his car went into valet system. But can I just tell you that's wild. And I always have my iPhone out when I'm near my daughter. Here, I'm gonna bring this salt together. We're gonna connect things because she's always doing fun things she's

at that age. And the other day I was she was running around the house talking, look kind of getting some words out now. But she just took me around the entire house and she knew, instinctively knew that I was looking for my glasses and she turned around she picked up the glasses off the floor, which I didn't

know where the glasses were. Here here you go. Seriously, yes, So the point here is that you're that guy with something's but like people need it and they need a visual like you can come up with things sometimes and I'm like, wow, where did that come from? Thank you? So with that being said, we're approaching the one year COVID anniversary at one Jets Drive, which is not an anniverse street to be celebrated because hopefully things are coming back to normal. We're on the upswing, or at least

I hope. So dude, we gotta get Yeah, it's just too Yeah, I will say, I do like the no commute to and from work, but I'm ready. I'm ready to be back in the saddle at the bed MGM studio. With that being said, Free Agency is St. Patrick's Day March seventeenth, but two days before that it opens the legal tampering period and the region. Why I'm bringing this up is because next week we're gonna break down free

agency a little more. We're gonna hear from Robert Sale and Joe Douglas later this week, so we'll have more of an update to provide in terms of the happenings that one Jet strive and maybe what types of players the Jets are gonna be looking for in free agency. But it's coming right around the corner. We've talked about how important this offseason is for the Jets with the financial flexibility, with the draft capital, and the first stage, the first big stage of the off season is about

to be underway in the blink of an eye. It's almost cliche to call it a critical offseason because we say that every year, right, so it's critical for everybody. There's only one team who's crowned champions. But for the Jets, this really feels like the start of a new era because you do have Joe Douglas in place, who had his first draft and first free agency period last year, so this will be a second, but this is his first with Robert Sala and a new offensive coordinator michaela Flour,

new defensive coordinator Jeff all Brick. Of course, um Sala retained special teams coordinator Brandt Boyer, and I thought it was really cool. And since we've been talking about the Jets coaching staff, how about Leon Washington coming back? Uh former Pro Bowl player for the Green and White. A couple of years ago he told Randy Lang that he wanted to get involved in coaching. Who would have thought

a couple of years later after seeing him at Jets House. Now, Leon Washington is going to be making home at our place once again. I used to love Leon and when when I was growing up, and I love Leon watching him as a player as a kick returner, I think it was him that I don't I don't know why I have this. I mean, it's stuck in my mind.

There was a kickoff and Mike west Off was a special teams coordinator at the time, and it was like a little dribbler on the sideline and Leon stuck one ft out of bounds, picked up the ball and sure enough there was a flag on the play and the Jets got the ball on their own forty You know what, Um, it's funny. Andrew Agro, who works in corporate sponsorships with the Jets, he always brings up that play because then, yeah, that just gives you a little bit of light on

Leon who he was as a player. I mean, how many guys in the National Football League knew they could take advantage of that rule like Leon did? And he was the ALTI MIT team players. So when we talk about building a culture here, he's the perfect tip because Leon did a little bit of everything. He could run it, he could catch it, he was a very good special teams player. Any role he was asked to do, he thrived in. And he was a well like dude in

the locker room. I also think Ethan, you grew up in New York, he was a fan favorite for you and I think a lot of other people. So intelligent head, he guy, and I think he's gonna help the culture out. Um. So uh very much looking forward to now what the Jets do in free agency preceding the draft, because we'll dive into it a lot deeper next week, UM, as we preview free agency and then we look ahead to the draft. You're continuing to do that with the athletics team,

Brewler with the podcasts and some editorial as well. But yeah, it is a critical offseason. Um. But the Jets have a lot of flexibility. Um, but let's remember and we'll get into it more next week. Again, it's all about draft and developing, and I think the Jets have a staff that is going to help these players. A young roster really developed, and La Fleur is one of those guys. Very well said, and I won't I won't say anything more about free agency because I will fight my tongue

for next week's episode. And that's how we closed out this episode of the Official Jet Podcast powered by Amazon Web Services. Next week, we're talking free agency.