Editing Mike McCarthy (section)

==== 2006–2009 ====
[[File:Mike McCarthy (TJG).JPG|alt=Mike McCarthy|thumb|McCarthy in 2007]]
After Mike Sherman took the Packers to a 4–12 record in 2005,<ref>{{Cite web |title=2005 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2005.htm |access-date=June 6, 2006 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> the team released him on January 2, 2006, and immediately started interviewing for a replacement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2, 2006 |title=Packers' Sherman loses job after first losing season |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2277901 |access-date=June 28, 2021 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> McCarthy was interviewed by Packers general manager [[Ted Thompson]] on January 8, 2006, and was offered the head coaching position three days later.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Pasquarelli |first=Len |date=January 11, 2006 |title=Packers to hire 49ers' McCarthy as coach |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2288985 |access-date=January 12, 2006 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

In 2006, the Packers started with a 4–8 record, but the team still managed to win their last four games after both quarterback Brett Favre and backup quarterback [[Aaron Rodgers]] sustained injuries, finishing the season 8–8, and ending with a win against their archrival, the [[2006 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2006 Green Bay Packers (8–8) |url=http://www.packershistory.net/2006PACKERS.html |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=www.packershistory.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2006.htm |access-date=June 8, 2007 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>

McCarthy guided the Packers to an 8–1 record in the first nine games of the [[2007 Green Bay Packers season|2007 season]], tying Washington's [[Joe Gibbs]] for the best win–loss ratio to start the first 25 games of a career at 16–9 and passing [[Vince Lombardi]], who went 15–10, for the best coaching start in Packers' history.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fly |first=Colin |date=November 12, 2007 |title=McCarthy stays true to Packers' plan, sits atop NFC with best start among active coaches |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2007-11-12-3091823810_x.htm |access-date=November 12, 2007}}</ref> The team finished the regular season with a 13–3 record and obtained the number two seed in the NFC playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kruse |first=Zach |date=June 8, 2017 |title=Throwback Thursday: Remembering the 2007 Green Bay Packers |url=https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2017/06/08/throwback-thursday-remembering-the-2007-green-bay-packers/ |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=Packers Wire |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2007.htm |access-date=June 30, 2008 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> McCarthy led the Packers to the [[NFC Championship]] game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl-winning [[2007 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] in overtime.

After the 2007 season, McCarthy finished second in voting for [[National Football League Coach of the Year Award|The Associated Press Coach of the Year]] award, garnering 15 votes to [[Bill Belichick]]'s 29 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |title=Unbeaten regular season lifts Belichick to second AP Coach of Year honor |website=[[NFL.com]] |url=http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805b47b4&template=without-video&confirm=true |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104153614/http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805b47b4&template=without-video&confirm=true <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=January 4, 2008 |access-date=January 2, 2008}}</ref>

On January 19, 2008, McCarthy signed a five-year contract extension with the team, which raised his salary to $3.4 million a year.<ref>[http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080119/PKR01/801190476/1057/PKR&located=RSS Green Bay Press-Gazette – Packers, McCarthy reach five-year deal]</ref> The [[2008 Green Bay Packers season|2008 season]] was a tumultuous one. Aaron Rodgers, previously the backup, became the starting quarterback when Brett Favre announced his retirement in March. Favre then changed his mind and sought his previous position as the Green Bay quarterback. The organization reiterated its intent to move forward with Rodgers as the new face of the Packers, although Favre was offered the backup position behind Rodgers. Favre refused the offer, and was traded to the [[New York Jets]] in exchange for a conditional fourth-round draft pick.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ESPN.com |date=August 6, 2008 |title=Jets set for Brett: Packers legend headed to New York |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/trainingcamp08/news/story?id=3522971 |access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

The [[2008 Green Bay Packers season|2008 season]] started with a 5–5 record, followed by five consecutive losses. The season ended with a 31–21 victory over the [[2008 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]], bringing the Packers' regular season record to 6–10. The Packers finished third in the NFC North, ahead of only the Lions, and did not make the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2008.htm |access-date=December 3, 2018 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> Under McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers threw for over 4,000 yards and posted a 93.8 [[passer rating]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=ESPN.com |title=Aaron Rodgers stats |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/8439/aaron-rodgers |access-date=August 7, 2009}}</ref>

Rodgers improved on his 2008 statistics in [[2009 Green Bay Packers season|2009]], but was sacked 50 times, more than any other quarterback in the NFL. The Packers dominated teams with losing records but were swept by their rival [[2009 Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]], led by former Packers franchise quarterback [[Brett Favre]]. The Packers lost to the previously winless [[2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], but then came back to beat the NFC East-leading [[2009 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pro Football Reference |title=2009 Green Bay Packers |website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2009.htm |access-date=November 19, 2009}}</ref> They then went on a five-game winning streak and qualified for the playoffs with a Week 17 victory over the [[2009 Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]], finishing with an 11–5 record.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2009 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/2009.htm |access-date=June 30, 2010 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref>

This was the second playoff berth in McCarthy's tenure.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Pete |title=Green Bay Packers rout Seattle Seahawks 48–10, clinch playoff berth |url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091227/PKR01/91227024/1954/PKR03 |access-date=December 27, 2009}}</ref> The Packers lost the wild-card round to the Cardinals in overtime, 51–45.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Pete |title=Green Bay Packers lose to Arizona Cardinals 51–45 in NFC playoff game |url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100110/PKR01/100110040/1954/PKR03 |access-date=January 10, 2010}}</ref>