The Baltimore Ravens not only dropped a massive bombshell on the entire NFL world when they fired head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, but they also enabled every person who has taken up permanent residence in the land of hypothetical fantasies.
The Ravens' decision to fire Harbaugh was undoubtedly a shocker. So the thinking for many others is, if the Ravens can fire Harbaugh, why can't a team like the Green Bay Packers make a ridiculously bold move, too?
Every fan wants to see the Packers win. And at some point, a coach's feet do need to be held to the fire for a lack of playoff success. But the wild Matt LaFleur-John Harbaugh theories already floating around right now are merely traps the Packers need to avoid at all costs.
Packers can't erase everything Matt LaFleur has built just to chase John Harbaugh
After the Miami Dolphins hired former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan this week, Gregg Rosenthal of the NFL Daily podcast posted a LaFleur-Harbaugh theory on X (formerly Twitter): "ok the fun LaFleur to Miami, Harbaugh to Green Bay dot connecting scenario mentioned a few times on the pod this week is feeling a bit less far-fetched."
There's no coincidence in the timing of these reports, however, with the Packers just losing executive Sullivan to the Dolphins as their new general manager. The theories are connecting all of the dots: Sullivan goes to the Dolphins and somehow finds a way to lure LaFleur if the Packers falter in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Packers get out of the last year of LaFleur's deal, make a huge splash to get Harbaugh, and try to go on a Super Bowl run.
Part of the thinking here has to do with the fact that the timing could be right for the Packers to make a bold move like this. LaFleur is entering the final year of his contract with the team in 2026, but there have now been recent reports that the Packers are looking forward to negotiating an extension with him at the end of the season.
In terms of hypothetical scenarios, it might even be more "realistic" than the idea of the Packers trading for Micah Parsons. But lightning isn't going to strike twice in the same calendar year. At least, it shouldn't.
The Packers need to avoid this trap at all costs. LaFleur has been one of the best and most successful head coaches in the entire NFL. Even if the standard is higher than just making it to the postseason, you've got to see the forest through the trees. Aaron Rodgers was a two-time MVP under LaFleur. Jordan Love has become a franchise quarterback and MVP candidate himself.
The Packers have built something special, and it's worth investing in the pieces already in place. Maybe for the Ravens, it was different. You've had 18 years of history with one coach, and you feel like that coach missed a window. There was a lengthy history of Harbaugh's teams struggling in tight games and blowing fourth-quarter leads. As great a coach as Harbaugh has been, the Ravens weren't wrong to reshuffle the deck.
It's still far too early for the Packers to do that with LaFleur, especially with the future of Love at risk if you make wholesale changes to the offense like that.
The allure of a big-name coach like Harbaugh is tempting, but it's a trap the Packers have to avoid.