Packers Coaching Staff Tracker: News and updates on Matt LaFleur’s hires

The Green Bay Packers have their next head coach, as the team and Matt LaFleur agreed to a four-year contract with a fifth-year option on Tuesday. LaFleur is expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday, but the arduous task of compiling a coaching staff will begin immediately.

The Packers may choose to retain several coaches from their 2018 staff, and indeed one has already reportedly received an offer to stay on under LaFleur. The team has 18 assistants who finished out the season, so the new head coach should have a lengthy series of interviews to conduct and homework to complete about the individuals on last season’s staff.

Keep it here for updates regarding the assembly of LaFleur’s staff in the coming days and weeks as we learn more about the team’s targets and hires.

Tentative 2019 Coaching Staff

Head coach: Matt LaFleur

Offense

Offensive coordinator: Nathaniel Hackett (former Jaguars OC)
Running backs: Ben Sirmans (returning)
Quarterbacks: Luke Getsy (former Mississippi State OC)
Offensive line: Adam Stenavich (former 49ers assistant OL coach)
Tight ends: Justin Outten (former Falcons assistant OL/quality control coach)
Wide receivers: Alvis Whitted (former Colorado State WRs coach)

Assistant offensive line: Luke Butkus (former Illinois OL coach)
Offensive assistant: Jason Vrable
Offensive QC coach: Kevin Koger

Defense

Defensive coordinator: Mike Pettine (returning)
Defensive line: Jerry Montgomery (returning)
Inside linebackers: Kirk Olivadotti (former Washington ILBs coach)
Outside linebackers: Mike Smith (former Chiefs OLBs coach)
Defensive backs: Jason Simmons (returning)

Assistant defensive backs: Ryan Downard (returning, promoted from QC coach)
Defensive QC coach: Wendel Davis (former Georgia defensive assistant)
Defensive QC coach: Christian Parker (former Texas A&M defensive assistant)

Special Teams

Special teams coordinator: Shawn Mennenga (former Vanderbilt ST coordinator)

Assistant special teams coach: Maurice Drayton (returning)
Special teams QC coach: Rayna Stewart (former Vanderbilt ST QC coach)

Strength & Conditioning

S&C coordinator: Chris Gizzi

S&C assistant: Mark Lovat
S&C assistant: Thadeus Jackson
S&C assistant: Grant Thorne

Coaching Rumors

• LaFleur reportedly has expressed interest to the Packers’ front office about retaining Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator. (UPDATE 1/11: LaFleur confirmed that Pettine will return as DC.) As for his offensive coordinator, he is expected to target someone with a similar background as him with experience in the Mike/Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay offensive systems.
• The Packers have reportedly offered to retain TEs coach Brian Angelichio for 2019. Angelichio worked with LaFleur’s former boss Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. Joe Philbin is also a possible candidate to stay with the Packers in some capacity.
• Packersnews.com beat writer Jim Owczarski reports that Rams assistant linebackers Chris Shula could get consideration as a full position coach on defense.
• ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that Mike Pettine has agreed to stay on as the Packers’ defensive coordinator for the 2019 season. DL coach Jerry Montgomery is also expected to remain as well.
• Tom Silverstein reports that the top early candidates for offensive coordinator are Mike McDaniel or Mike LaFleur, Matt’s brother. Both are currently employed under Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers, and there is no certainty as to whether Shanahan would allow them to interview with the Packers. (UPDATE: Shanahan reportedly is not allowing either of these two to interview for the job.)
• 1/11: The Packers are reportedly interviewing former Jaguars OC Nathaniel Hackett, likely for the offensive coordinator position. The team also has an interview scheduled with former Buccaneers OC Todd Monken for that job - Monken interviews on Saturday, 1/12. (UPDATE: Monken was hired by the Cleveland Browns as their OC.)
• 1/14: The Packers have hired Nathaniel Hackett as their OC. Karl Dorrell (former Jets WR coach) will interview for the WR coach job in Green Bay. The Packers have also requested an interview with Darren Rizzi (Dolphins ST coordinator) to replace Ron Zook.
• 1/16: Packers will interview 49ers assistant OL coach Adam Stenavich for the open OL coach position. Packers also “have interest” in former Jets OL coach Rick Dennison. 2018 QBs coach Frank Cignetti will not return for next season. 2018 RBs coach Ben Sirmans is expected to return for 2019.

2018 Coaches

The Packers employed the following coaches through the end of the 2018 season. The team dismissed just two individuals during the year: head coach Mike McCarthy and associate head coach/outside linebackers coach Winston Moss. APC will update this section with any confirmed reports about the coaches’ statuses in Green Bay or elsewhere for 2019.

Offense

• Joe Philbin — Interim head coach/offensive coordinator
• James Campen — Offense-run game coordinator/offensive line (hired by Cleveland Browns)
• Jim Hostler — Offense-pass game coordinator (took job as Panthers’ WR coach)
• Brian Angelichio — Tight ends (initially received offer to stay under LaFleur but is not returning)
• Frank Cignetti, Jr. — Quarterbacks (will not return for 2019)
• Ben Sirmans — Running backs (likely to return for 2019)
• David Raih — Wide receivers (will not return for 2019)
• Jeff Blasko — Assistant offensive line (took same position with Browns)

Defense

• Mike Pettine — Defensive coordinator (returning for 2019)
• Patrick Graham — Defense-run game coordinator/inside linebackers (likely to depart for Miami in 2019)
• Joe Whitt, Jr. — Defense-pass game coordinator (fired on 1/11)
• Jerry Montgomery — Defensive Line (reportedly staying in 2019)
• Jason Simmons — Secondary (expected to return in 2019)
• Jay Hayes — Assistant defensive line
• Scott McCurley — Defensive assistant (not expected to return in 2019)
• Ryan Downard — Defensive quality control (returning as assistant DBs coach)

Special Teams

• Ron Zook — Special teams coordinator (will not return for 2019)
• Maurice Drayton — Assistant special teams