Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy signed a multi-year extension during the Packers’ bye week. That’s a hell of a week off.
Now in his ninth year as head coach in Green Bay, McCarthy is 87-48-1 in the regular season. Including playoffs, the Packers are 93-53-1 under McCarthy. At 50 years old, he’s third all-time on the wins list needing just six more to pass the legendary Vince Lombardi at 99.
“You win 100 games in this league as a head coach, it’s definitely a milestone,” McCarthy said. “I’m not going to compare myself to coach Lombardi. Let’s be real here. I understand my place, my opportunity and I’m very thankful for the people that came before me: Coach Lombardi, Curly Lambeau, Mike Holmgren, Ron Wolf, they made this place, the foundation of the building. Ted Thompson (General Manager), Mark Murphy (Team President) and my responsibility and Aaron Rodgers and the players’ responsibility is to make sure we leave it better than we arrived.”
Oddly enough, he already has.
McCarthy has led Green Bay to four division championships, five consecutive playoff appearances, a perennial playoff contender with the third highest winning percentage since 2006 (.643), he’s been a class act and offensive guru coaching two future hall of famers in Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers; he’s built quite the resume ultimately bringing back the Pack. He already received Green Bay honors naming a street after him as only the best get; “McCarthy Way”. But of course, his most significant achievement is bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Titletown as Mike McCarthy’s Packers won Super Bowl XLV.
Mike McCarthy is one of only two coaches to win the Super Bowl as the sixth seed.Considering the Green Bay Packers as the most historically successful NFL franchise with not only the most championships ever recorded in the sport, but only hiring 14 head coaches since 1921, Mike McCarthy has joined the elite and he ain’t done.
Apart from being the third straight coach named Mike (Holmgren and Sherman) McCarthy has already reached a higher tenure than each with nine years and counting.
“I’m a young guy; shoot, I’m not thinking about the end, that’s for sure,” McCarthy said.
GM Ted Thompson also commented at the press conference giving praise to his head coach.
“We are very happy to extend our relationship with Mike,” Thompson said. “Over the past nine years, he’s provided great stability and consistency to the Packers organization and our community as an excellent coach and leader. He’s a good man and we look forward to the future with Mike as our head coach.”
The details of the deal are unknown, but we can speculate that McCarthy will most likely be at the helm through GM Ted Thompson’s contract which is set to expire in 2019.
McCarthy’s work ethic and cool yet humble persona is what separates him from others around the league. Not interested in the spotlight, he admitted he was a bit uncomfortable not wanting the news to take away from the team’s preparation for the upcoming game.
Under Coach McCarthy, the Packers are 7-1 coming off the bye week. In a pivotal primetime matchup with the visiting Chicago Bears, the Packers look to regain the NFC North lead on Sunday Night Football at Lambeau Field and make their coach proud.