Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur finished second to Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans in the NFL Coach of the Year voting for the 2021 season.
LaFleur received eight of the 50 votes. Vrabel got 25 votes to win the award.
Both the Packers and Titans worked through relentless injuries to become the No. 1 seed in their respective divisions. Voters from the Associated Press simply preferred Vrabel’s body of work to LaFleur’s in 2021.
The Packers weathered the offseason controversy surrounding Aaron Rodgers and significant injuries to All-Pros David Bakhtiari, Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander. Elgton Jenkins and Robert Tonyan suffered season-ending injuries, and receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Randall Cobb, center Josh Myers and edge rusher Whitney Mercilus all spent time on injured reserve.
LaFleur’s team won seven straight games after a Week 1 meltdown, including a dramatic win in Arizona on a short week without Davante Adams. The Packers later won five straight games spanning November, December and January, including an 8-point win over the eventual NFC champion Los Angeles Rams.
In three seasons as Packers coach, LaFleur has an overall record of 39-10 in the regular season. The Packers’ 39 wins are the most in the NFL. During each of the three seasons, the Packers earned a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs, including two straight No. 1 seeds.
Of note, new Packers special teams coach Rich Bisaccia received three votes after he helped lead the Las Vegas Raiders to the playoffs as an interim head coach after Jon Gruden resigned.
Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor received two votes and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick received one vote.