Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur found reasons for encouragement after a difficult preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday.
The Packers failed to score a touchdown on offense while allowing three second-half scoring drives, yet LaFleur pointed to the steady play of second-year quarterback Kyle McCord as one of the night’s brighter spots.
McCord saw the most action under center, completing 12 of 16 passes for 102 yards. He absorbed two sacks but showed poise in key moments.
After the game, LaFleur singled out McCord’s handling of a two-minute drive before halftime.
“Great poise. I thought he went out there, I mean, to operate in that two-minute drive the way he did, I don’t believe he’s had that, live yet in that situation,” LaFleur said. “We’re in a down, down clock situation. He rifled the inside slant, and to have the urgency to get up and spike the ball — what was there, one second left? I thought that was just incredible execution not only by him, by all 11 that were out there.”
LaFleur also praised McCord’s ability to stay composed under pressure.
“I thought that other thing that he did a really nice job was just hanging in the pocket,” the coach added. “Obviously, took a hit, delivered the ball to, I think it was Isaiah Neyor on that one. So I thought he did a lot of good things.”
The abbreviated two-minute possession stood out statistically as well. McCord needed only 45 seconds to move the Packers into field-goal range, going 4-for-4 for 35 yards excluding the final spike that stopped the clock with one second remaining.
McCord joined the Packers on a futures contract in January and is competing for the third quarterback spot behind starter Jordan Love and veteran backup Tyrod Taylor.
Rookie undrafted free agent Kyron Drones is also in the mix, though his limited action Thursday consisted of one incomplete pass and three sacks, underscoring the developmental gap between the two young passers.
McCord arrived in the NFL after a productive college career that included three seasons at Ohio State and a standout 2024 campaign at Syracuse, where he threw for 4,779 yards and 34 touchdowns. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 draft before he eventually landed in Green Bay.
While the overall offensive performance left plenty of room for improvement, LaFleur’s comments suggest McCord is making a case to stick on the roster through his command of situational football and willingness to stand in against pressure.
As the preseason continues, those traits could prove valuable in the Packers’ quarterback evaluation.
