The heat has been turned up under Packers coach Mike McCarthy’s seat by four losses in five games that have left the Packers with a 4-5 record on the season.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Sunday that the situation calls for an increased urgency around the team, but McCarthy sent a somewhat different message when he met with the media on Monday. McCarthy said that he’s seen things that need to improve, but that he’s neither “worried about the football team” nor planning major changes.
“I’m not into shock and awe or torch the landscape,” McCarthy said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “I’m a builder. I’m a developer. You build a culture, you invest in the culture. We look to adjust and tweak on a daily basis.”
McCarthy also made it clear that he’s not doubting his ability to make the necessary adjustments.
“Let’s state the facts: I’m a highly successful NFL coach,” McCarthy said. “With that, I’ve never looked at the ride to this point as smooth.”
There’s no doubt that McCarthy has had great success as the head coach in Green Bay. That doesn’t make his job a lifetime appointment, however, and others who have been to the highest peaks in the league have lost their jobs when the success stops coming. The next seven games will determine whether that happens, but a 9-12 record over the last 21 games doesn’t do much to support the idea that McCarthy is a particularly successful NFL coach right now.