Green Bay Packers hire former Detroit Lions assistant coach Aubrey Pleasant

The Green Bay Packers hired away one of their former division rival coaches after Aubrey Pleasant was let go by the Detroit Lions. Pleasant was fired from the Lions as their defensive passing game coordinator just one week before the two teams played each other, and now he will be joining the Packers as an offensive consultant for Matt LaFleur.

Packers hire former Detroit assistant Aubrey Pleasant

The NFC North has no shortage of historic rivalries, and the Packers gave Lions fans another reason to root for their downfall after hiring one of their former coaches. An ESPN report indicated that Pleasant actually joined the Packers last week ahead of their matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, and that his position as a coach has changed while still in the same field of expertise.

Instead of working as a defensive pass game coordinator, Pleasant is working with the Packers offense as a consultant to help analyze passing defenses around the league. The duo of LaFleur and Pleasant had previously worked together while on Mike Shanahan’s staff at Washington and again with the Rams under Sean McVay.

LaFleur spoke on Monday about the decision to bring on Pleasant, explaining what he brings to the team and what they’ve already begun working on together.

“Aubrey and I worked together in Washington a long time ago, and he was on the offensive side of the ball. Worked together again with the Rams,” LaFleur said Monday of the hiring.

“He’s a really knowledgeable guy when it comes to the game. I thought he could bring a different perspective to our offensive staff, just seeing it through the lens of a defensive coach. He’s going to do a lot of self-scout work for us.”

“He and I were watching a bunch of tape together today. Just talking coverage and finding out different rules. That’s always an important part to it, when you’re game-planning, is, just, how are they coaching these guys on the other side? Based on coverage and how you’re trying to attack somebody … we’ve had great conversation.”