GREEN BAY – Like most on the Packers' coaching staff, Luke Getsy learned a thing or two about himself working from home during the COVID-19-induced virtual offseason program.
Forced to trade in a physical classroom for a Zoom meeting, Green Bay's quarterbacks coach had to rethink how to deliver his message to a two-time MVP quarterback ( Aaron Rodgers), rookie first-round pick ( Jordan Love) and third-year veteran backup ( Tim Boyle).
So Getsy – known for his innovative training techniques when coaching the Packers' receiving corps – went back to the drawing board and devised a fresh approach to connect with his quarterbacks.
"I realized I'm a much more visual person," said Getsy, who also had passing-game coordinator added to his title this offseason. "I like showing pictures, I like showing film and discussing it. That aspect was kind of taken away from me, so I had to challenge myself to learn different ways – different ways to quiz guys, different ways to keep them attentive in this whole thing."
It started with Getsy familiarizing himself with the new technology he would be utilizing. He conducted his Zoom call with Green Bay media Thursday with the same microphone and green screen he's been teaching with from home this offseason.
Getsy also needed to get to know his players better, understanding how each quarterback learned and what was required to keep their attention during long intervals of talking.
Working remotely was a supreme challenge in the sense it goes against everything most football coaches have ever been taught, breaking the time-honored cycle of teaching, practicing and reviewing in the spring.
While every coach had to adapt to their players, Getsy mans one of the most unique posts in the entire organization. On top of his work with Rodgers and Boyle, Getsy also has been charged with making sure Love and undrafted rookie Jalen Morton are prepared for the everyday grind of training camp at the end of July.
"I think Aaron and Tim are at a great place and will be at a great place," Getsy said. "But the two young guys, it's going to be a demanding training camp for them because they don't even know exactly what the drill is that we're going to do yet. They've only seen a video of it.
"They don't know what it feels like for any of that stuff. They haven't had to say a cadence or say a play in the huddle with the team."
Getsy says the atmosphere amongst the quarterbacks has been positive, especially in Rodgers' case. As much as has been made of Love's arrival, Rodgers has been receptive to the rookie and has his focus set on the 2020 season and taking the next step in Head Coach Matt LaFleur's offense.
To that end, Getsy has seen an "extremely motivated" Rodgers who wants to improve upon Green Bay's 14-win season in 2019 that ended one game shy of the Super Bowl.
"His input through this offseason has maybe been the best I've been around," Getsy said. "We've included him in so much and we needed him to be included in so much. He's been huge. He's clarified things for us, we've clarified things for him.
"I feel like there's no question that we're moving into this summer with our staff being on the same page with him, as good as I've ever been with him. I think he's in a great place."
There still are a lot variables and unknowns the Packers will be working through in the weeks and months ahead, but Getsy doesn't see any "insurmountable" challenges in front of the Packers, crediting the plan LaFleur and coordinator Nathaniel Hackett put forth for the offense during these uncertain times.
As a young coach with his own head-coaching aspirations one day, Getsy has taken a lot away from the NFL's work-from-home offseason. Once life harkens back to a sense of normalcy, Getsy believes there are techniques and exercises he did this spring that'll stay with him as he moves forward in his coaching career.
"That's the beauty of the offseason, is you try to take some moments to catch your breath," Getsy said. "The beginning of this pandemic deal was, I think, rough on a lot of people, just because it was a new thing for us
"But I think after a couple weeks of practice and doing it, I think we all got much better at it, and hopefully we will be able to implement it in some way in the future."
