Packers: Matt LaFleur received votes for Coach of the Year award

Matt LaFleur was in the race for Coach of the Year.

John Harbaugh took home the AP Coach of the Year award for guiding the Baltimore Ravens to an NFL-best 14-2 record, but Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur also received votes.

According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, LaFleur finished third in the voting behind Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

LaFleur had three votes. Harbaugh won with 27 votes, Shanahan 14.

It’s a great accomplishment for LaFleur, who entered the season with no head coaching experience and was tasked with taking a six-win team back into contention. He did that and then some.

LaFleur led the Packers to a 13-3 regular-season finish, good for the NFC North title and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Had Seattle Seahawks tight end Jacob Hollister managed to gain half a yard more in Week 17, Green Bay would’ve owned the top seed.

The Packers were winners in their first playoff game, a divisional-round meeting with the Seahawks, before the game we won’t even begin to discuss at Levi’s Stadium.

But despite the disappointing conclusion to the season, it’s hard not to feel the Packers are ahead of schedule under LaFleur. When he was hired, many pointed to the 2020 season, his second as coach, as the key year. He’d have a season to get familiar with the role, while GM Brian Gutekunst would have additional time to build the roster to suit LaFleur’s vision.

Yes, the Packers have a number of areas they need to get significantly better at this offseason. But they far exceeded expectations in 2019, and let’s not forget that a number of analysts didn’t even believe they’d make the playoffs.

Gutekunst should be praised for his work rebuilding this roster over the past few offseasons, but it was the leadership of LaFleur at the top who brought it all together. Many players spoke about how fun the season had been and the connection the players had with each other. That starts with LaFleur and the culture he is building in Green Bay.

LaFleur might not have won the award, but the votes he received highlights what an impressive start he’s made to his NFL head coaching career.