GREEN BAY Coach Matt LaFleur fired Chris Gizzi on Thursday, ending his five-year tenure as the Green Bay Packers’ strength and conditioning coordinator, marking the second coordinator change in as many days.
Gizzi’s departure comes one day after LaFleur announced Joe Barry would not return for a fourth season as the Packers’ defensive coordinator.
Gizzi’s firing ends his 10-year run on the staff. After serving as an assistant coach for strength and conditioning for five seasons (2014–18), he was elevated to coordinator when LaFleur became head coach in 2019.
At the time, then-coordinator Mark Lovat stepped down and accepted an assistant role as Gizzi ascended to the top spot. Since there have been no announcements regarding changes to the strength and conditioning group, Lovat is still employed.
“We appreciate Chris for his dedication and contributions to our success over his time with the Packers,” LaFleur said in a statement released by the team. “We wish Chris and his family the best moving forward.”
Although LaFleur is investigating a number of soft-tissue injuries that players suffered in the 2023 season, particularly the hamstring problems that beset cornerback Eric Stokes and wide receiver Christian Watson, it does not seem like those injury concerns were the main cause of the change.
Over the years, LaFleur has stated on several occasions that he discussed how to best proceed with resolving injury issues and placing players on appropriate rehabilitation paths with Gizzi and head athletic trainer Bryan “Flea” Engel.
That said, LaFleur had been adamant about finding solutions to the spate of injuries. He was especially concerned about Watson, who missed a total of eight games with hamstring injuries that bookended his season.
“We have a plan in place,” LaFleur said of Watson. And I think, certainly Christian’s going to be a big part of that process.
“That’s something that we need to figure out because he is an impact player. We see his value when he’s going at full strength. (With) his ability to make plays for us, explosive plays, we’re better when he’s on the grass.”
Gizzi, 48, participated in two seasons of football with the Packers in 2000 and 2001, playing special teams and linebacker.