Matt LaFleur addressed a now-viral comment made about Packers kicker Anders Carlson from Saturday’s divisional-round loss to the 49ers, stating he was “extremely” disappointed in how the moment was portrayed.
When speaking to the media Monday, LaFleur elaborated on the remark about the Green Bay rookie, which Fox reporter Tom Rinaldi attributed the coach to saying, in part: “He basically said, ‘When he goes out there, I just pray,'” according to Awful Announcing.
“That was extremely disappointing that that’s how that message got portrayed,” the 44-year-old LaFleur said.
“I’ve been a part of production meetings ever since I became a coordinator and I’ve never had an experience like that, but it is what it is. I talked to Anders about it. I think any time something’s out of your control, kind of saying it in jest and having fun with it, but it got portrayed that way and it’s a learning lesson for me.”
Rinaldi shared the quote after Carlson, a sixth-round rookie out of Auburn, missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that, if made, would have given the Packers a seven-point lead over San Francisco.
On the following possession, 49ers running back Christian McCaffery scored a six-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a three-point lead that stuck, thanks to a late-game interception thrown by Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
San Fransico punched its ticket to the NFC Championship game for the third year in a row with the 24-21 victory.
Carlson made both of his 29-yard field goals in the first half.
He finished the year making 27 field goals out of 33 attempts.
Carlson was perfect from the 20-to-29-yard ranges and 30-to-39-yards but had trouble from further distances, such as going 50 percent on 40-to-49-yard attempts.
His longest-made field goal was for 53 yards.