GREEN BAY — There was a lot of talk afterwards about vomiting. And rightfully so.
No, no one had asked Matt LaFleur about who the Green Bay Packers’ No. 1 wide receiver might be, which had led to the coach to deliver a, er, colorful answer a few weeks ago.
Rather, during the Packers’ 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field, veteran center Josh Myers had gone viral on social media after FOX Sports’ cameras caught him throwing up on the football a split-second before he snapped it to quarterback Malik Willis.
The play had happened on a third-and-10 during the second quarter, with Myers turning his head and trying — unsuccessfully, as it turned out — to avoid puking onto the ball, snapping it to Willis and Willis scrambling for a 3-yard gain.
“I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on third down, and he told me that, ‘Josh threw up on the ball,” LaFleur said. “I was like, ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that.’”
“Matter of fact, (referee) Shawn (Hochuli) came over to me and said, ‘We saw your center throwing up on the ball, do you want us to take him out next time?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, please do that.’ Because you’re talking about a critical situation.
“I’ve never had a throw with vomit on a football. I think Malik probably didn’t appreciate that.”
But as funny as that anecdote had been, and for as much attention as it got across social media, it was the private interaction between coach and player that was far more compelling and meaningful.
After his press briefing with reporters, LaFleur tracked Myers down in the locker room to pass along what he’d said to the media. The two shared a laugh about it, and then LaFleur turned to leave through the alcove near Myers’ locker.
About halfway to the exit door, though, LaFleur pivoted and came back. He hugged Myers hard and told him how proud he was of him — and how proud Myers’ father, Brad, would have been of him. The two men embraced twice more before LaFleur finally left for good.
Brad Myers died of cancer in late July, and his death has weighed heavily on his son.
“It means a ton to me, man. He’s been there for me big-time since my dad passed,” Myers, unsuccessfully fighting back tears, said when asked what LaFleur’s words had meant to him. “I can’t thank him enough. He’s been there, big-time.
“I love this game so much. I feel the closest to my dad when I’m playing. So, it’s awesome.”
Asked by Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber what his dad would have said to him on Sunday, Myers replied, “I know he’d say he loves me and he’s proud of me.”
A former center himself at the University of Kentucky, Myers also knew his dad would have gotten a huge laugh out of the puking incident, too.
Myers confessed that it was the second time in as many weeks that he’s vomited during the game, although he guessed that the 85 degree heat and the Packers’ run-heavy approach early in the game probably factored into Sunday’s incident.
“I’ve puked, just not ON the ball. I’ve done it OVER the ball a couple of times in my career, but I don’t know (what happened),” Myers said. “In that moment, all you’re thinking is, ‘I’ve got to block this guy. It doesn’t matter what’s going on. No one’s going to care what’s going on with me.’ One way or another, you’ve got to get it done.”
Told that Willis had to handle a vomit-speckled ball, Myers laughed.
“Dang, I’m going to have apologize for that one,” he said. “That was probably pretty gross.”
