Matt LaFleur may have lost the game, but he was not going to lose the war in the postgame handshake.
Moments after the Bears put the hands to the Packers in their NFC wild-card matchup, another pair of hands took center stage. As is customary, NFL players and coaches meet on the field to exchange postgame pleasantries.
LaFleur and Johnson have had some interesting handshakes over the years. Many of them have seen Johnson tap the back of the Packers’ head coach with his clipboard. Matt certainly does not like it. Somebody online put together some clips showing it happen, so LaFleur had something different for him.
Immediately after the game, Matt LaFleur brought out another coach to ensure that his back would not get touched.
Matt LaFleur brought out a coach so Ben Johnson wouldn’t tap his back with his clipboard during their handshake.
This is how their three handshakes went this season.
— Polymarket Football (@PolymarketBlitz) January 11, 2026
The Packers led 21-3 at halftime. Green Bay also led in the fourth quarter. It has been a theme of the season. The team now enters an uncomfortable offseason after another painful playoff exit. It could lead to big changes. The defeat wasn’t just another loss; it was a significant setback.
It marked Green Bay’s fifth postseason loss in its last six playoff appearances under LaFleur. Despite opportunities to win late, the Packers’ offense stalled. It has already led to rumors that Matt LaFleur could be fired.
According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the decision about LaFleur’s future could come quickly. “The Green Bay Packers and their new president, Ed Policy, have a significant decision to make here in the coming days,” Schefter said.
Since taking over in 2019, he has held a 76-40-1 record and has guided the Packers to the playoffs in all but one season. LaFleur also reached back-to-back NFC Championship Games. However, there has been a lack of recent postseason progress.
The front office might want a new voice.