GREEN BAY, Wis. — Six years ago, Mike McCarthy arrived in Green Bay as the new head coach of the Packers. McCarthy had never been a head coach at any level and was taking over a Green Bay team that had gone 4-12 in 2005, the Packers' worst record since 1991.
Success didn't come immediately for McCarthy, as his first season in Green Bay ended with an 8-8 record and no playoff berth. However, a four-game winning streak to close out that 2006 season seemed to set the stage for what has become an incredibly successful career.
In just six years, McCarthy has added a Super Bowl victory, a 19-game winning streak and a 15-1 regular season to his résumé. Known for the success of his quarterback school, McCarthy has also been a key contributor in the development of Aaron Rodgers from backup to the NFL's Most Valuable Player. And, as the offensive play-caller, McCarthy is running a team that led the league in scoring last season with a core group in place of young, talented players.
One week into training camp for McCarthy's seventh year in Green Bay, this may be the season that defines him as a head coach. Despite the Packers' upset loss in the playoffs last season, going 15-1 after winning the Super Bowl was a remarkable achievement. But being able to successfully come back from the disappointing way in which last season ended -- when the New York Giants dominated the Packers at Lambeau Field in the playoffs -- will be a big litmus test for the 48-year-old coach.
Taking a break from preparing himself and his players for the high expectations that will follow the Packers all year, McCarthy sat down for a one-on-one conversation with FOXSportsWisconsin.com.
FSW: There's teams that would clearly love to be in the position that the Packers are in, but are there extra challenges when the expectations are so great most years, especially the past few years?
MCCARTHY: Isn't this what we all want? This is something that you strive for as a player and a coach. With that success comes more responsibilities. It's something we've talked about since the first day we all started working together. This is where we want to be. So you've got to take the new challenges and the extra challenges with the success that you've had in the past and make sure it doesn't keep you from being successful in the near future.
FSW: With your style of leadership, there are some coaches who are more vocal and take opportunities in the media to say certain things. You're more laid-back and quiet publicly in front of cameras. Is that all part of what you said last year about not wanting to put players in tough positions that they're not ready for and make sure the environment (in the locker room) is comfortable and that everything stays low-key as much as possible?
MCCARTHY: I don't ever try, I'm not trying to ... we're in such a unique situation because we're owned by the fans and so forth, but I never felt it was in the best interest of the football team to do my job through vocal public statements in the public, and I still believe that. My job is to create an environment that is conducive to learning and growing and more importantly winning. I don't think it helps by getting in front of a camera and being inconsistent, making brash, bold statements. I make brash, bold statements, but it's in the team meeting room. Our football team, more importantly the coaches, support staff and the players, they know exactly where I'm coming from. They know what I'm about. This is a very demanding sport. More demanding off the field than sometimes on the field. With that, I think my No. 1 rule is to be consistent. I would classify my leadership style, particularly my communication style, as being direct, very direct, and timely direct. I believe in dealing with issues now and moving on and growing. It's so true, everybody says it, but it's clearly the truth: You're either getting better or you're going the other way. You don't ever stay the same. By padding yourself down with emotional statements and extracurricular activity and public persona, that's not a priority, that's not even an interest of mine. I really enjoy coaching. I love coaching football. I love the game of football. I'm very blessed and fortunate to be in this position and I'm maximizing this opportunity, particularly by staying focused on my football team.
FSW: Was there anybody you learned that from, or saw examples of guys who did that who you liked, or guys that did the opposite that you thought it may have worked against them at some point?
MCCARTHY: I think it's like anything in life. You have experiences where you say, "I'd like to emulate that," and there's some things where you'd say, "I wouldn't do it that way, I'd do it the other way." I've been very blessed to be around a lot of excellent coaches, really be around a lot of great players and watch the way they conduct themselves, and clearly realize, the best players I've always been around have always been the smartest players. There's a direct correlation to that. So with that, I've always tried to make that a major focus of our program, coaching our football team to make sure ... we're teachers, we're going overboard as far as putting the players first and educating them and getting them ready for their opportunities. We coach them all, we coach all 90 of them, and we're trying to get them all ready. To me, those are the kind of people I want to be around. I'm intrigued by people that know football, that are addicted, that can talk it inside and out. To be in a quarterback room or listening to defensive coaches talk about certain things, I enjoy that. It's stimulating and it's really something that's part of the way we operate.
FSW: Do you think people would be surprised at who you are off the field, away from the spotlight?
MCCARTHY: Compared to the way I am in front of the camera? Absolutely. I don't want to say I don't like it. Being in front of the camera and answering questions, it's clearly a job responsibility for me. I wouldn't be the one volunteering to do it.
FSW: With Aaron Rodgers as a leader, some would say he's the best player on the offense so he should be the leader. But what does he do above and beyond that? Last year, he helped Matt Flynn (prior to Week 17) when a lot of quarterbacks might not volunteer to step aside while healthy with a consecutive starts streak or with passing records in sight. But what are some things he does that establishes him as a leader in that way?
MCCARTHY: There's been so many. He does so many little things. I think that's really the true sign of an outstanding leader. He does it all the time. I think he does it, and he's not even conscious that he's doing it. It's just part of his nature, it's part of his being. He really embraced the role two or three years ago and it's been great to watch him grow and really just take it and run with it. With that, it's really something I've used with the team that we need more leaders. We have great leadership at the top of our team with Aaron, best we've had in my time here as far as the group that I would consider the top leaders. But it's important to keep growing the younger guys, to accept and develop leadership roles and opportunities. He is just an incredible example. There are just so many little things. I don't really want to get into his personal stuff. But he just does stuff that, walks in a room, asks, "Anybody need a water?" He's a gentleman, he has manners, he's got a really good personality, he interacts with everybody. That goes a long way with people, a lot more than what people realize. He did before he was a starter and he still does now. He's been consistent in his growth of success, his consistency in how he treats people has been very good. It's his room. Those are his guys. He's exceptional. He does a great job with it.
FSW: How do you view rushing the football in today's NFL? It's clearly taken steps back. High draft picks on running backs have decreased, big money is given out to running backs less frequently. What's your view on where that part of the offense is headed?
MCCARTHY: I clearly understand where our numbers are, but we still emphasize the run first. When we install our offense, we still build the run and then everything that comes off of the run. But this game is about scoring points. It's about calling run plays that, frankly, if the pass is better, we take it. We've gone so much more to taking advantage of matchups, whether it's running or throwing it, and that's really what we've evolved to. We don't just come out and say, hey, we're throwing it 50 times, but if you're going to give us the matchups, we will. If you play us a certain way, there's a day we'll run it 30 times, too. Balance is important, but balance doesn't really mean 50/50. To me, the definition of balance is the ability to do both. I think that's what sometimes gets lost in the number-crunching of evaluating an offense. Your ability to run the ball is important, not how many times you do it. There's also a school of thought that you have to run it so many times to be effective at it, but there's other tangibles of how your team is tied to the run game. Running the ball is not always just for the offense. It's for the defense, the special teams, and it really comes down to how you view how you're going to play that game. Are you going to go in there and try to throw as many punches as you possibly can, or are you going to go in there and try to shorten the game where it comes down to a couple big punches? To me, that's the bigger picture of really how the running game fits. To me, I want to punch as many times as I can, both sides of the ball. That's just the way I feel the game should be played. I think you should come into the stadium and empty your bucket. That's where sometimes the numbers get to be the way they are with running the ball.
FSW: You have three inexperienced running backs in James Starks, Alex Green, Brandon Saine, even if Marc Tyler or Du'ane Bennett can come up. Your confidence level in that group must be high that they can get that job done. But how do you view your group right now that, I don't want to say completely lacks a veteran because of (fullback) John Kuhn, but lacks a traditional back that's a veteran?
MCCARTHY: Obviously every one of those individuals are here for a reason. We believe in them from a personnel standpoint that they're on a 90-man roster. If we didn't, then they wouldn't be here. With that, as a coach, and I've always viewed it this way, you're responsible to develop the individuals that are in your room. I think we got an excellent group of guys to work with and from that, we'll have a very productive group. They're coached the right way, they're good people, they work hard, and they all, what I like about it, they all see the opportunity. It's right there for them. It isn't like it's his job or his job and they're all fighting for backups. I think it's a very healthy situation.
FSW: You said this last year about Jermichael Finley coming back from a knee injury, but with Alex Green this year, should the goal for him simply be get through this season injury-free?
MCCARTHY: When a guy comes back from a major injury, the first year back is just different. Your body is different. There's going to be days where that doesn't feel right because it's never the same. You don't tear your knee up and it goes right back to the way it was before. So you have to go through that first year. He's done a great job with his rehab. He's strong as a bull. That part of it is intact. He had some soreness today, and he's on a rep count. This is a very normal process that he's going through. If Alex Green plays all 16 games in the regular season, I feel confident that he'll reach his personal goals.
FSW: Were expectations for (Green) to be ready (for training camp)? Was it a surprise at all that he was ready on Day 1 of camp, eight months after his injury?
MCCARTHY: I would say it's no surprise because he's been here every day, but we understand what the time frame is and we don't (push it). He's come on so fast the whole rehab. Even during the season you could see him in there. He's been in here the whole time. He's a neat young man. I think he's going to be an excellent player.
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