Matt is more than seven years older than Mike. They were virtually born to coach, with Denny a teacher and longtime assistant at Central Michigan and Kristi a teacher and coach of multiple high school sports. Since both were little kids, they were on the sidelines somewhere.
That they would both become head coaches – Matt in 2019 with the Packers, Mike this past January with the Cardinals – in the NFL seemed remote. But here they were.
"I knew what I was going to end up doing," Mike said. "If you would've told me I was going to end up as as the quarterback coach at Central Michigan, I'd probably say you're full of crap. You didn't envision any of this."
Both Matt and Mike acknowledged they talk or text often – "One less time per day I do with my wife," Mike said – and Matt said working with Mike in a joint practice situation does allow for a little more trust for a day in a notoriously secretive league.
For the day, however, it's only a practice. And Friday is only a preseason game. For that, all the LaFleurs were thankful, Denny mentioning it will be easier on Kristi this time around.
The two teams will play in the regular season next year at State Farm Stadium.
Sure, Matt joked earlier in the week that if there was a fight about to start between the teams in the joint work, the players should tag in the LaFleur brothers so they could battle at the 50.
"He's had the pec (injury), he's had the Achilles. We're going to keep him upright right now," Mike deadpanned.
The families are getting together. And the two coaching staffs were getting together for dinner Wednesday night – that isn't a LaFleur thing; the Packers do this with each staff they have joint work with.
Mostly, though, this is football season. That's what the work is about.
"Let's be real," Mike said. "My whole focus is making sure the Arizona Cardinals are successful on Sundays, but you are always rooting for your brother – as long as it doesn't affect the Arizona Cardinals."