The Most Important Packers: No. 27 — LB Isaiah McDuffie

The Green Bay Packers were arguably the NFL's most disappointing team in 2025, finishing 9-8-1 after blowing multiple double-digit leads, including a 21-3 halftime advantage in their Wild Card loss to Chicago. Coach Matt LaFleur, the league's longest-tenured without a Super Bowl, oversaw a team that defied 1-in-250,000 odds by collapsing in three crucial games, ending with five straight losses. Entering 2026 with a challenging offseason and no first-round pick, the team faces an uphill battle. Amidst this turmoil, reliable players like linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, ranked 27th most important, are crucial, providing consistent defense and special teams play as a "glue guy" for Green Bay's thin linebacker depth.

The Green Bay Packers were arguably the most disappointing team in football last year. And perhaps no one did less with more than Packers coach Matt LaFleur.

Green Bay headed into the 2025 season with one of the NFL’s top rosters, then traded for star defensive end Micah Parsons 10 days before the year began. Suddenly, Packer Nation was dreaming of their first Super Bowl appearance since 2010.

Instead, Green Bay went a remarkably unsatisfying 9-8-1 overall and was the NFC’s No. 7 seed for a third consecutive year. The Packers then blew a 21-3 halftime lead in the Wild Card round against Chicago, gave up 25 fourth quarter points and eventually suffered a shocking 31-27 loss to the arch-rival Bears.

“No way you should lose games in this league when you’re up that much,” running back Josh Jacobs said.

Green Bay, which began the year 9-3-1, finished the season with five straight losses. The Packers now enter 2026 with the league’s fourth-longest losing streak.

LaFleur, entering his eighth season, is also the longest-tenured coach in the NFL that hasn’t taken a team to the Super Bowl.

Collapsing late in games was the story of Green Bay’s 2025 campaign.

Green Bay had double digit leads in the final minutes twice against Chicago and also vs. Cleveland and somehow went 0-3 in those games. The Packers’ odds of losing all three contests were 1-in-250,000, yet they somehow did it.

“That (expletive), it’s starting to get damn-near embarrassing,” safety Javon Bullard said.

Rebounding won’t be easy as the Packers were hit hard in free agency and didn't have a first round draft pick.

Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 29. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2026 campaign.

McDuffie made 12 starts and played in all 17 games, recording 80 tackles (41 solo), one sack, an interception, three tackles for a loss, three quarterback hits, a pass defensed and six Next Gen Stat quarterback pressures. He also totaled 12 tackles on special teams, which ranked third on the team.

In all, McDuffie played 45.1% of the defensive snaps and 72.1% of the special teams snaps.

McDuffie saw limited playing time as a rookie in 2021, then tied for the team-lead with a career-high 13 special teams tackles in 2022. McDuffie saw action in all 17 games that season, made one start and finished with 30 tackles.

McDuffie then took on a far greater role in 2023 when injuries hit the linebacker position. With preferred starters De’Vondre Campbell (six) and Quay Walker (three) missing a combined nine games due to injury, McDuffie stepped in that season and played a career-high 513 snaps.

While McDuffie didn’t register a turnover play in 2023, he was extremely reliable and played with a ferocity the coaches loved. That eventually led to a bigger role in 2024 and a second contact with the Packers.

In 2024, McDuffie started all 17 games and set a career high in tackles (94). McDuffie added three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, three passes defensed and a forced fumble that season.

Some have speculated that McDuffie — who counts $4.98 million against the salary cap — could be released or traded before training camp ends. That seems unlikely, though, for a couple reasons.

First, McDuffie is as reliable as that old VHS player that sits in your basement, but somehow still works. McDuffie is one of the Packers’ top special teams players and extremely dependable when he’s playing from scrimmage.

Second, Green Bay’s linebacker depth is mediocre, at best. So moving on from McDuffie would be an enormous gamble.

So expect another year where expectations might not be high for McDuffie in July, but he surprises with another productive season.

“From the day we've had Isaiah, he's done everything that we would ask for as far as the way he handles himself. He's been an elite special teams player from the beginning, certainly started a lot of games at linebacker for us. He's just a glue guy, does everything the right way.” — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on McDuffie

“It’s just coming into work every day, putting your head down. Coming in with a positive attitude and a positive mindset. To me, I feel like the day you feel like you can’t get better is the day you become complacent, and then it’s probably over for you, in my opinion.” — McDuffie on his approach