Not an injury. Not a tactical decision. The real reason rookie was scratched from this week’s lineup left the entire Packers locker room stunned It all started with one reckless moment, when he made a disrespectful remark toward a female janitor quietly doing her job in the locker room
This week, the name Anthony Belton – the highly anticipated defensive rookie of the Green Bay Packers – suddenly disappeared from the game roster. Many fans assumed he was injured, but the truth left the entire locker room silent.
According to multiple internal sources, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening, right after the main practice session. When the players had left, an elderly female janitor was quietly cleaning the locker room when Belton walked in. During the conversation, he made an inappropriate joke that was offensive, leaving the woman shocked and uncomfortable.
What was unexpected was that Coach Matt LaFleur was passing through the hallway at that exact moment. He overheard the remark, stopped, and looked straight at Belton. Without a word, LaFleur only said coldly:
“Tomorrow, I want to see you in the meeting room earlier than everyone else.”
Not an injury. Not a tactical decision. The real reason rookie was scratched from this week’s lineup left the entire Packers locker room stunned pic.twitter.com/1dzSEPJ58H
— Adam Schefler (@ScheflerAdamUs) October 27, 2025
The next morning, LaFleur summoned the entire team. He did not mention Belton by name, but the message was clear enough to silence the locker room:
“Wearing the Packers logo is not just an honor – it is a responsibility. We fight for victories, but we must appreciate the people who quietly keep this team running. The women in this building work tirelessly and deserve respect like anyone on the field. If a man cannot understand that, he has not understood what it truly means to be a Packer.”
Right after the meeting, LaFleur made the decision to suspend Anthony Belton for Week 8 as a disciplinary measure. A veteran player recalled: “No one said a word. Everyone understood. It wasn’t about anger – it was about learning something bigger than football.”
Belton later proactively sought out the janitor to apologize. She accepted, but LaFleur maintained the suspension – a message not only for Belton, but for the entire team:
“In Green Bay, talent can get you on the field, but character is what makes you worthy of wearing the Packers uniform.”
