Packers Talked With Dan Orlovsky About Coaching In Green Bay
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky spoke with Matt LaFleur this off-season about potentially coaching in Green Bay. Orlovsky was on ESPN’s radio show Wilde and Tausch earlier this week and was asked if he’d ever considered entering the NFL coaching world.
He made it clear that while right now he enjoys his gig at ESPN, he wouldn’t rule out coaching, adding that he thinks about it “all the time”. He revealed that he had conversations with Matt LaFleur earlier this off-season.
“I’ve had conversations with Matt about it. You know of going out there so, I’ve had some conversations this off-season. It’ll always be something that I’m interested in. Right now I love being at ESPN. I love being able to get to do what I do and I’m super thankful for that.”
This isn’t the first time that Orlovsky has been tied to the Packers as a potential coach. Back in 2019 it was reported by Adam Scefter that the Packers reached out to Orlovsky about potentially joining Matt LaFleur’s staff. It didn’t happen back then, but it looks like Orlovsky and LaFleur have stayed in touch.
LaFleur and Orlovsky first crossed paths in Los Angeles for a short stint of 2 months in 2017. The Rams had hired LaFleur as the offensive coordinator in January and Orlovsky was added in July before being released in September of 2017.
Orlovsky didn’t have a stellar NFL career. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2005 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. He was there from 2005-2008 before he went on to play with the Texans, Colts, Buccaneers, Lions, and Rams before retiring in 2017. He’ll always be known for the infamous play where he ran out of the back of the endzone with no clue that he’d left the field of play. His career ended with a total of 12 starts where he went 2-10. He threw for 3,132 yds, 15 Tds, and 13Ints.
NFL QBs, regardless of success playing in the league, have an understanding of the game that no one else comes close to. But not every former NFL player can explain it in a way that keeps the viewer captivated. Orlovsky can do both which is why ESPN has held onto him for the last 5 years.
I love Dan Orlovsky as an analyst. He is the perfect mix of being entertaining while explaining complicated NFL play concepts in a simple and easy to understand manner. There’s no wonder why ESPN signed him after he retired from the NFL in 2017.
He rose the ESPN ranks relatively quickly and became a top NFL analyst. He appears on First Take and Get Up during the NFL season, and is also part of NFL Live that takes place in the afternoon.
You may ask yourself, could a QB with a sub par playing career succeed as an NFL coach? The answer is yes. Most NFL coaches don’t have a glamorous history as players in the league.
Just look at Matt LaFleur. He played QB from 2000-2002 for Division II Saginaw Valley State. After that he spent 2 seasons in the National Indoor Football League. Clearly you don’t need to be a top tier player to be a top tier coach. Matt LaFleur is just one of the countless examples proving this point.
If one day in the future news broke that the Packers hired Orlovsky in some kind of offensive coach capacity, I’d be cautiously optimistic. I imagine that his ability to communicate would make it easy for young players to get a grasp of their assignments. There’s no doubt he’s a good teacher. The truth is that we wouldn’t know if he’d be a good coach until he gives it a shot.
In the same interview Orlovsky mentioned that he has four young kids and has been enjoying watching them grow up. He added that coaching in the NFL would make life more challenging. I imagine the travel and game prep would lead to longer hours and more time away from his family. Working at ESPN sounds like a much more flexible gig for someone who wants to spend time with their family.
Maybe when his kids are older he’ll take the leap and see what it’s like as an NFL coach. The fact that he thinks about coaching all the time gives me the idea that one day he’ll coach in some capacity. Matt LaFleur could be the first coach he calls when he’s ready.