Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is shown Monday, August 24, 2020 during the team’s training camp at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon.
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Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine may be allowed to walk away from Green Bay without a contract for 2021 in place.
The Green Bay Packers have gotten rid of one coordinator. Could another one be on the way out?
As it turns out, Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine doesn’t have a contract for 2021.
Normally, an assistant coach would sign an extension to give them two years of cushion but Pettine declined to do so, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. He decided to “see how things played out” in 2020.
That might have worked in his favor in some ways. The Packers were ninth in yardage and 13th in points allowed while improving their yards per play allowed from last season.
Mike Pettine’s major mistake has his future in Green Bay in doubt
However, it was Pettine’s defense that gave up an unforgivable touchdown just before the half against the Bucs when the Packers were dumped out of the NFC title game. The decision to play man-to-man coverage in that situation may have been a fireable offense in and of itself.
It doesn’t help that the defense gave up 37 points in a loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game in 2020.
The biggest issue for Pettine is he wasn’t Matt LaFleur’s guy to begin with. Pettine was a Mike McCarthy hire who was retained by the new regime. Now facing criticism over his failure to get the Packers to the Super Bowl, LaFleur could look to bring in a handpicked DC.
LaFleur and the Packers parted ways with special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga because of poor performance. The decision wouldn’t be so clear-cut with Pettine, but it’s certainly within the realm of possibility to look elsewhere. They wouldn’t even have to fire him. His contract is already expired.