Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy has insisted that his team were the best in the NFL before their season ended.

The Packers went 12-4 in the regular season, but they lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship game.

"I thought we were the best team in football when our season ended," McCarthy said, NFL.com reports.

"You have to prove it on the field, obviously. This was a helluva football team we had this year. And it grew. We had some bumps there early. I thought every time we were hit with a challenge, they accepted it and they worked at it and we got better."

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers received the MVP award last season but a calf injury limited him late in the campaign.