Mike Holmgren never stayed in Green Bay long enough for people to turn on him. Holmgren left in 1999 after the Packers had a disappointing loss where a distracted Packers team fell to San Francisco on the road that launched Terrell Owens’ career. Holmgren left a week later to take the job coaching the team and front office in Seattle while Green Bay went with Mike Sherman. He never stayed in Green Bay to hear the complaints about wasting Brett Favre’s prime. Holmgren left at the perfect time. Mike McCarthy overstayed his welcome.

mcCarthy had so many different opportunities to leave on his own terms. Obviously, there is after the 2014 NFC Championship Game. He leaves after that game, and people will always wonder what if yet Mac would have gained endearment from Packers fans after he took a year off to clear his head. After 2015 when Green Bay seemed disjointed all year with McCarthy taking back playcalling after the team look like a disaster (Remember three years ago, we all begged for McCarthy to be the play caller again). In 2016, the door opened again after Green Bay needed a ‘run the table’ finish to make the playoffs. Yet Mac kept coming back to Green Bay. Why did he do it?

The simple answer, Aaron Rodgers and another Super Bowl win. The allure of 2014 always hung around in McCarthy’s head. He knew that there should have been another Super Bowl appearance for him. A head coach with multiple Super Bowl appearances is much better than just one. There are not many situations Mike McCarthy could have went to in 2015, 2016 or 2017 where a Super Bowl opportunity would be right there for him. Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York and Tennessee might have all be reasonable options for him, yet, that’s a pure hypothetical situation.

McCarthy will get another shot. Whether it’s Cleveland next year or the following year where another job opens up, McCarthy will get a chance again. A team will think the way that Jason Witten and Tony Dungy did where they talk about his success through nine of eleven years, and they’ll hope he goes through an Andy Reid revolution at his next adventure.

But I’m sure Mac is sitting with a few beers tonight wondering what if I left early like Holmgren did?

Charlie.