Packers head coach Mike McCarthy knows just how difficult it is to sustain a winning culture in the NFL.
"Continuing success is the hardest thing in this business," he said during Thursday's end of the season press conference. "It's the hardest thing in life."
McCarthy admitted that change was necessary in the team's front office but he also acknowledged a lack of chemistry within the locker room.
"There's a pretty common theme among our team that leadership needs to be better," McCarthy said. "Locker room culture, locker room leadership, you always have to develop it but it has to come from within the locker room. You can't mandate leadership, you can't mandate culture."
The disconnect among players starting showing after week 15's loss to the Minnesota Vikings. An upset Ha Ha Clinton Dix called out his teammates saying, 'a lot of guys aren't putting their best foot forward.' Clinton Dix showed similar frustration after last Sunday's loss in Detroit.
"I love his passion, I love his commitment," McCarthy said on Thursday. "Hey, at least he's frustrated. It's all about winning here and he wants to get that done."
Damarious Randall was also vocal after the loss to the Lions but McCarthy had a different reaction toward his third year cornerback.
More Randall: "It was just a lack of coverage, a lack of pass rush, a lack of everything. They just flat out played better tonight. Period."
— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) November 7, 2017
"He needs to focus on himself," McCarthy said. "He didn't play the last two games. He needs to go home, and self evaluate and clean his own house."
Regardless of where the Packers point the blame, the bottom line for coach McCarthy is that his team did not live up to the expectations set long ago in Title Town.
