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Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur turns 40 years old on Thursday.
His birthday present? A chance for the first-year coach to recharge his batteries during the bye week and get prepared to lead the 8-2 Packers on a playoff push over the final six weeks of the 2019 season.
LaFleur’s first season as Packers coach has been a smashing success. He became the first coach in franchise history and the first NFL coach since Jim Harbaugh to win seven of his first eight games. Only 19 coaches in NFL history have ever started 7-1.
The Packers are now 8-2, in first place in the NFC North and in possession of the second overall seed in the conference.
LaFleur was the youngest coach hired by the team since Curly Lambeau, a founding member of the franchise who first coached a game at the age of 21. The team hadn’t hired a coach under the age of 40 until landing on LaFleur, then 39, in January.
LaFleur was born on Nov. 14, 1979, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
The Packers coach said the bye week will be centered around both spending time with family and self-scouting.
“The focus will be on what we need to do better moving forward, because there’s a lot to improve upon. I think our guys know that as well,” LaFleur said.
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