Sneaky-Good Lions Hire Should Leave Packers Jealous
The Green Bay Packers enter the offseason with plenty of frustration after a promising start to the 2025 campaign unraveled late. Once viewed as the NFC’s top contender, Green Bay saw its season derailed by injuries and poor execution in crucial moments, ultimately bowing out at the hands of a division rival. As they look ahead, the Packers now face a tougher NFC North landscape, with both the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions taking steps forward.
Detroit, in particular, has added to Green Bay’s concerns by bringing former New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka onto Dan Campbell’s staff. The move is designed to help jumpstart the Lions’ offense and is especially unsettling for Packers fans, given that Kafka was reportedly a candidate for Green Bay’s offensive coordinator role earlier in the offseason.
Kafka built his reputation in Kansas City, where he played a key role in Patrick Mahomes’ development as quarterbacks coach and later as passing game coordinator. Adding that level of experience to an already talented Lions offense is hardly welcome news for a divisional opponent.
For Green Bay, the timing stings even more following a playoff collapse tied to late-game struggles under head coach Matt LaFleur and kicker Brandon McManus. Both are expected to return in 2026, which has fueled skepticism about whether the Packers can make the kind of leap needed to reclaim dominance. Meanwhile, their rivals appear to be actively improving, potentially lowering Green Bay’s standing in the division.
Detroit’s Gain Highlights Green Bay’s Missed Opportunity
Hiring Kafka is the type of bold move many Packers fans hoped their own team would make — one that could have eased the burden on LaFleur and injected optimism into the offense. While Green Bay did bring in former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon as defensive coordinator, that hire largely maintains continuity after Jeff Hafley’s strong tenure rather than signaling a major shift.
Had the Packers also landed Kafka, they would have assembled an experienced and intriguing coaching trio, giving fans real reason to feel confident about the future. Instead, Detroit made the move, and now Green Bay must watch a division rival strengthen its staff.
With Chicago retaining offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and Detroit adding Kafka, Packers supporters have legitimate reasons to feel uneasy. Green Bay appears to be losing ground within the NFC North, and the pressure is now on the organization to deliver a strong offseason. Without meaningful changes, concerns will linger that the disappointing end to the 2025 season could be a warning of what lies ahead.
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