Steven Helmer Publications

There was a time when the Pro Bowl meant something. Selected players, barring an injury, would willingly participate in it, both for the additional paycheck and the free trip to Hawaii. The fact it was held after the Super Bowl also increased the chances of players from the best two teams being involved. Then things changed. Player salaries increased to the point the Pro Bowl check didn't mean as much while the risk of injury watered the product down further by the league taking every precaution to avoid a scandal if a star got hurt playing in a meaningless contest. Fan voting also arguably plays too much of a role, with players being selected because of name recognition rather than anything they did on the field. This is why the NFL should replace it with the Practice Squad Bowl. Here's how I would do it: Each team selects four players that finished the regular season on the practice squad. Those players are divided into the traditional AFC/NFC categories, with each team getti...

Multiple reports state the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a multi-year extension with Head Coach Matt LaFleur, as well as General Manager Brian Gutekunst, choosing to make a renewed commitment to both despite the former losing to the division rival Chicago Bears in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs last week. Assuming the reports are true, speculation (and hope from some fans) about Matt LaFleur being fired or traded proved to be just that. Ultimately though, it was ultimately the most logical outcome for both the team and LaFleur himself. So logical in fact, we probably should never have doubted it. The idea of Green Bay parting with LaFleur because of a playoff loss always seemed knee jerk and out of character for a franchise that has had just 15 head coaches (not counting interim coaches) in its nearly 107-year history. It is a team that knows the value of patience and stability when it comes to coaches. At least in hindsight, it was kind of ridiculous to think they would be...

The Green Bay Packers' season isn't over yet, with the Chicago Bears on the schedule tomorrow night for the Wildcard round of the NFL playoffs. However, based on the speculation surrounding Head Coach Matt LaFleur's future, I think it would be possible to think that wasn't the case. At minimum, there seem to be a lot of talking heads out there who think his tenure in Green Bay will be done if the Packers lose to their division rivals, giving the team an opportunity to hire recently fired John Harbaugh as their new coach. While I won't pretend to know enough about the team's inner thoughts and discussions, I think that would be a mistake. Look, I'm not going to lie and say I haven't had my doubts about LaFleur too but, while there have been plenty of times when I've disagreed with a play call or the decision to use (or not use) a challenge flag, it is hard to overlook the fact he is a winning football coach. His first three years, paired with quarterb...

Now that the cat is officially out of the bag and Aaron Rodgers has confirmed the poorly kept secret about him wanting to play for the New York Jets in 2023, the ball is in the Green Bay Packers court to get that deal done. However, there are some reports that claim the Packers are asking for more compensation than the Jets are willing to pay. If that's true, then the Packers should do the former face of their franchise justice by lowering that asking price. I'm not saying the Packers don't have a lot of leverage with this. They have Rodgers under contract through 2024 and the Jets lack of secrecy about their desire to have him as their QB1 this fall, combined with the possible free agent alternatives already being signed by other teams puts Green Bay in the catbird seat, especially since they have until the start of the season to trade him and avoid paying him a significant bonus. What I am saying is, even though the Packers do have that leverage, they should just agree to...

  The Green Bay Packers finally snapped their losing streak against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday and, in the process, might have found a new offensive star in 2nd-round pick Christian Watson, who scored three touchdowns. In the meantime, second-year receiver Amari Rodgers might have accelerated his departure from the team, following a costly fumble on a punt return that nearly caused another team implosion. Unlike a lot of fans, I tend to be patient when it comes to younger players, especially receivers, because development doesn't always happen at a quick pace. Former Packers' all-pro Davante Adams is a good example of this, struggling with drops his first couple of seasons in the league before becoming one of the best. So, also unlike a lot of fans, I'm not going to demand he get cut. However, it might be time for fans, and the team, to lower their expectations of the former 3rd round pick. There are ultimately a couple things that really stand out for me when looking at Rod...