Matt LaFleur, best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, had a relatively humble playing career in college football. His journey from a college quarterback to an NFL head coach is a testament to his deep understanding of the game and ability to adapt, even if his playing days did not reach the professional level.
Did Matt LaFleur Play College Football?
Matt LaFleur was born on November 14, 1979, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, into a family with a strong football background. His father, Denny LaFleur, was a long-time football coach, and Matt was exposed to the sport from a young age. This early exposure to football shaped Matt’s future as both a player and coach.
LaFleur began his college football career at Western Michigan University, joining the Broncos as a wide receiver in 1998. He spent two seasons there but saw limited action, as he played a more modest role in the offense.
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Western Michigan provided LaFleur with his first taste of (at the time) Division I football, but his desire to play quarterback led him to transfer to a smaller school where he could see more time on the field.
After two years at Western Michigan, LaFleur transferred to Saginaw Valley State University, a Division II school in Michigan.
This move allowed him to play quarterback, the position he truly wanted to excel in. At Saginaw Valley, LaFleur was a standout player, leading the team as their starting quarterback from 2000 to 2002.
During his time at Saginaw Valley, LaFleur helped guide the team to success in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as his leadership on the field and his ability to distribute the football effectively earned him recognition as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference.
While LaFleur’s playing career did not extend into professional football, he made a brief appearance in the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) in 2003.
As a quarterback, he played for the Omaha Beef; yes, that was a real team. However, this stint was short-lived, and it became clear to LaFleur that his future in football would lie in coaching rather than playing.
Did Matt LaFleur Coach in College Football?
After his brief playing career, LaFleur quickly transitioned into coaching. His coaching journey began in 2003 when he accepted a role as an offensive assistant at Saginaw Valley State, his alma mater.
This position allowed LaFleur to stay close to the game while starting to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a career on the sidelines. His time coaching at Saginaw Valley also gave him the opportunity to learn the intricacies of offensive schemes and game planning.
In 2004, LaFleur took his first major step in his coaching career when he joined Central Michigan as an offensive graduate assistant. At CMU, LaFleur worked under head coach Brian Kelly before Kelly eventually left for Notre Dame and now LSU. This experience was invaluable for LaFleur, as he had the chance to work with a successful program and gain insight into how to build a winning culture.
LaFleur continued to climb the coaching ranks in college football, moving to Northern Michigan University in 2006 as the quarterbacks and receivers coach. His time at Northern Michigan was another important chapter in his development as a coach, as he worked directly with the players responsible for executing the passing game.
In 2007, LaFleur made another significant career move when he joined Ashland University, a Division II program, as the offensive coordinator. This was his first opportunity to design and implement an offense fully, and it showcased his growing understanding of offensive football.
At Ashland, LaFleur honed his play-calling abilities and further developed his offensive philosophy, which focused on efficiency, balance, and maximizing the strengths of his players.
LaFleur’s success at the college level did not go unnoticed, and he soon caught the attention of NFL coaches.
In 2008, he joined the NFL as an offensive quality control coach with the Houston Texans. His career skyrocketed from there, with subsequent stints working with the Washington Football Team, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Los Angeles Rams before landing his first head coaching job with the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
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LaFleur’s college football playing and coaching career was defined by his time at Saginaw Valley State and all his other stops helped hone his early coaching experiences in college that laid the foundation for his meteoric rise in the NFL.
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