GOOD NEWS ; LaFleur of the Packers will be going back to Tennessee.
Packers’ LaFleur, Willis Hope For Happy Ending In Return To Tennessee
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis could face his former Tennessee team on Sunday.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
They were thrown together just more than three weeks ago.
They had never met. They had zero history.
In many ways, it was an arranged marriage.
But Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis and head coach Matt LaFleur have one thing in common.
They both have roots in the Tennessee Titans’ organization.
And when the Packers head to Tennessee on Sunday, Willis and LaFleur will share a desire to defeat an organization where very little went according to plan.
“Things happened,” said Willis, who was traded to Green Bay from Tennessee on Aug. 27. “So I’m here now and grateful to coach (LaFleur) and the GM and everybody who’s a part of this.”
LaFleur, who was the Titans’ offensive coordinator during a difficult 2018 campaign, said this about Tennessee back in 2020: “I think as you grow in the profession and as you grow in life, you take on and are ready for new challenges.”
Both LaFleur and Willis were given new challenges after failing during their time with the Titans. And both have made the most of those opportunities in Green Bay.
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Willis was the 86th overall pick in the 2022 draft and viewed as a possible replacement for Ryan Tannehill as the Titans’ future quarterback. In 11 career games with Tennessee, though, Willis was an unsightly 35-of-66 for 350 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also posted an abysmal passer rating of 49.4 with the Titans.
Titans’ first-year coach Brian Callahan chose Will Levis as his starting quarterback shortly after coming to Tennessee. That left Willis and ex-Steeler Mason Rudolph in a battle for the backup job, one most believe Rudolph was set to win.
So when Green Bay offered a seventh round draft pick for Willis at the end of training camp, the Titans — who were likely set to release Willis — jumped at the chance to pick up a draft pick. The Packers, who needed an upgrade at No. 2 quarterback after watching Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt struggle all summer, crossed their fingers that Willis could give them a lift.
“I mean, I didn’t wake up thinking I was going to be traded, no sir,” Willis said on Aug. 28, one day after becoming a Packer. “So it definitely caught me by surprise. More than anything, you just take it (for) what it is. Quick turnaround, and the season’s starting. There’s no more lounging around and kinda getting ready for the season. This is what it is. There’s no time to really think about it. It’s time to go.”
For Willis, it was ‘go time’ faster than anyone wanted.
Packers franchise quarterback Jordan Love suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1, thrusting Willis into the role of leading man. Willis then delivered the finest performance of his NFL career on Sunday, leading Green Bay to a 16-10 win over Indianapolis.
Willis completed 12-of-14 passes for 122 yards and threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. Willis also had six carries for 41 yards, didn’t throw an interception and had a 126.8 passer rating — nearly triple his career mark.
“He picked up the offense and did what was required of him,” running back Josh Jacobs said of Willis. “He’s a special guy, man. I think … we’re going to see what kind of player he is.”
The Packers may see more of Willis against Tennessee.
Love’s status remains uncertain and the Packers will be extremely cautious with their franchise quarterback. So Willis could very well be the starter Sunday when he heads back to see his former team.
“I just try to prepare as a starter each week,” Willis said. “That’s my job. I just try to not focus on who we’re playing more than the game plan and what we’re trying to do, what we’re trying to accomplish, and that’s get another ‘W.’ ”
LaFleur interviewed for the Titans’ head coaching opening in Jan., 2018, but lost out to Mike Vrabel.
After Vrabel was hired, he surprised many by offering the offensive coordinator job to LaFleur — even though the two men had no history together.
“Matt and I didn’t know each other,” Vrabel said back in 2020. “We got together, I felt like he was the guy that we wanted to hire.”
LaFleur was tasked with calling plays for the first time in his career and was asked to help quarterback Marcus Mariota take the next step in his development.
Neither assignment went well.
Tennessee averaged just 19.4 points and 312.4 yards per game. The Titans were a dreadful 29th in passing yards per game (185.9) and Mariota threw just 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Tennessee finished the year 9-7 thanks to the strength of its defense. And when the year ended, Vrabel had to decide if LaFleur was the right man to keep leading the offense.
Multiple reports said Vrabel planned to either fire or demote LaFleur if he returned in 2019. Vrabel never had to play the heavy, though, as LaFleur was a surprising choice to become the 15th head coach in Green Bay Packers’ history.
“It was a great learning experience from a play-calling aspect … just going through adversity and doing whatever it took to win games,” LaFleur said of his time in Tennessee. “And I know we didn’t win as many as we would have liked, and we didn’t get into the playoffs and honestly, I know the offensive numbers were not great when I was there. But that’s never something that concerned me.”
Things have gone far better for LaFleur in Green Bay, where he’s won 67.1% of his games, three NFC North divisional titles and led the Packers to the playoffs four of five seasons.
And even though Willis has been a Packer just 23 days, the change of scenery seems to agree with him, as well.
It’s been said the best form of revenge is success. LaFleur and Willis would love to show their former employer exactly that on Sunday.
