Normally, two brothers coaching two different NFL teams wouldn't raise any real reporting issues. I mean, look at Jim Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers and John Harbaugh's New York Giants. It's pretty obvious who you're talking about because you can refer to the team they coach and proceed as normal. But what happens when said brothers are also coaching a star/franchise player with the same surname? Taken a step further, what happens when both pairs of coaches and players have the same exact first letter of their respective first names? Oh, huh, that's a fair point. If we're not being hyper-specific about who we're referring to (by naming the team), Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and starting quarterback Jordan Love on the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals first-year head coach Mike LaFleur and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love might cause some confusion during this NFL season and beyond. In a post on X, ESPN and NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport acknowledged the predictable problem that two different M. LaFleurs and J. Loves could present by jokingly clarifying an injury report with more confusion. But really, it shouldn't be a joke. Without a team clarification, it is really kind of impossible to know who a sentence like “LaFleur says Love will miss a week with a sore ankle," is referring to.
How about: “M. LaFleur says J. Love will miss a week with a sore ankle?” Better? https://t.co/qvWL0lcmO2 — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2026 Let's all make a deal. Whenever we talk about a "M. LaFleur" or "J.Love" in 2026, let's make sure we throw in their team, too. It pays to be a bit more proactive with clear language like that. Have Matt LaFleur and Mike LaFleur ever coached together? Yes, the two brothers were both members of the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff from 2015-2016. Matt was the Falcons' quarterback coach while Mike was an offensive assistant. What job did both LaFleur brothers have right before becoming head coaches? Matt was the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans in 2018 before taking over as Packers coach in 2019. Mike was the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams from 2023-2025 before taking the reins for the Cardinals. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ian Rapoport acknowledged the confusion 2 M. LaFleur's and J. Love's may present this NFL season