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Matt LaFleur, Mike LaFleur ready for Packers-Cardinals work
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur and Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur will face off in a joint practice Wednesday and a preseason game Friday, marking the first time the brothers have coached against each other as head coaches. Matt joked that any on-field scuffles could be settled by the brothers themselves, while their parents plan to show split loyalties in green and red.
LaFleur Brothers Set for Historic Joint Practice as Packers Host Cardinals
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals will hold a joint practice Wednesday before their preseason finale Friday at Lambeau Field, but the spotlight will be on the coaches: Matt LaFleur and his younger brother Mike, now in his first season as Arizona's head coach.
Matt LaFleur, entering his eighth season as Packers coach, has a unique plan to avoid the kind of brawls that have marred other joint practices. "If there's an issue, I'm going to tell the guys, 'Hey, you come tag me in. They can tag in my brother. And we'll throw down on the 50,'" he said Monday.
The brothers have coordinated the practice schedule together, with Matt noting that Mike has been quick to critique it. "He's quick to criticize everything that I put on the schedule," Matt said. "I was like, 'All right, Mike, you've got all the answers.'" He added that the planning has been healthy, with give-and-take on both sides.
The LaFleur parents, Denny and Kristi, will be in attendance. Matt predicted they'll look like "a Christmas tree" — wearing a mix of Packers green and Cardinals red. The brothers have faced each other before, including when Mike was an offensive coordinator for the Jets during a joint practice in 2021, but this is their first meeting as head coaches.
Mike LaFleur, 39, was officially hired by Arizona this offseason after three seasons as the Rams' offensive coordinator. He said the opportunity to practice in Green Bay was partly about escaping Arizona's heat. "If we could have gone to Seattle, we would have," he said, "but they're in our division. There's no team in Canada, so Green Bay was the choice."
Both coaches downplayed any competitive tension. Matt said he has no reservations about sharing practice details with his brother, pointing to a past joint practice with Houston when the Texans' staff included a brother of a Bears coach. " Insurance is for the weak," Matt joked.
The Packers will also manage several injuries. Running back Josh Jacobs is limited but practicing after a calf injury. Rookie receiver J. Michael Sturdivant remains in concussion protocol. Long snapper Matt Orzech is out, with rookie kicker Trey Smack handling snapping duties alongside Cal Adomitis.
Wednesday's practice is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT at Ray Nitschke Field, and Friday's game kicks off at 7 p.m. CT at Lambeau Field.
This article is based on reporting from the Associated Press and other outlets.
How each outlet told it
Associated Press
Framing: Emphasizes the coach vs. coach matchup, highlights brother face-off — lighthearted and focused on the family angle
Facts Included:
Matt LaFleur joked players could 'tag me in' and 'tag in my brother' if issues arose
Wednesday's joint practice is first time brothers coach against each other as head coaches
Friday preseason game at Lambeau Field
Parents will look like 'a Christmas tree — green and red'
Mike LaFleur was Jets OC 2021-22 and Rams OC 2023-25
Mike LaFleur chose Green Bay for cooler weather, considered Seattle (division), Canada (no team), Buffalo (travel)
Mike LaFleur spoke with Minnesota Vikings but they had scheduled joint practices
Cardinals plan to ride bicycles to practice field
Matt LaFleur referenced 2019 joint practice with Houston and Pagano brothers
Cowboys and Saints fined $500,000 each for brawls
Mike LaFleur quote on code of conduct
Mike LaFleur response 'We'll see what happens' to challenge
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimMatt LaFleur joked that if there is an issue at the joint practice, players should tag him in and tag in his brother Mike so the two coaches can throw down on the 50.
ClaimMatt LaFleur said his parents will probably look like a Christmas tree — green and red — because of divided loyalties between the Packers and Cardinals.
ClaimMike LaFleur said he considered Seattle but ruled it out because the Seahawks are in the Cardinals' division, Canada because there is no team there yet, and Buffalo because of travel, making Green Bay the next closest option to escape the heat.
ClaimMike LaFleur spoke with the Minnesota Vikings about a joint practice shortly after Arizona hired him, but the Vikings already had scheduled their joint practices.
ClaimThe Arizona Cardinals plan to ride bicycles from their locker room to the practice field accompanied by children, as the Packers do during training camp.
ClaimThe Packers conducted joint practices with Houston in 2019 and were careful about what they showed because the Texans' staff included John Pagano, brother of then-Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano.
ClaimMike LaFleur said joint practices can be a coin flip on what could happen and that NFL ramifications will change some people's opinions on the code of conduct, and that the two staffs are on the same page.
ClaimMatt LaFleur said defensive tackle Warren Brinson will miss a little bit of time after tweaking his calf in pregame warmups Friday, which prevented him from playing at Denver.
ClaimMatt LaFleur said Mike is quick to criticize everything on the joint-practice schedule, but the planning has been healthy with give-and-take on both sides.
ClaimMatt LaFleur is not expecting to give any starters snaps in the preseason finale, but said that will change if his starters get into a practice fight; bubble players who fight will be pulled from the game.
ClaimThe Packers had a dustup in a joint practice against the Seattle Seahawks last year and no issues when the Baltimore Ravens came to Green Bay for a joint practice in 2024.
ClaimMatt LaFleur said Mike has earned the opportunity as head coach and never shied away from the work, and both have been fortunate to be around great people.
ClaimMatt LaFleur said rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse should be good to go this week after playing only one series against Denver because of a knee injury.
ClaimLong snapper Matt Orzech remains on PUP because of a calf injury; LaFleur said he is getting closer but it might be too soon to say he will be back this week.
ClaimRunning back Josh Jacobs will be limited in all team periods but will be out practicing after returning to individual drills following a calf injury.