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GREEN BAY – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur is officially in the market for a new defensive coordinator.
LaFleur, who signed a multi-year contract extension Jan. 16, is losing Jeff Hafley, his second-year coordinator who is about to become the Miami Dolphins’ head coach.
Multiple national reports, including from ESPN and NFL Network, indicated that the Dolphins had selected Hafley to be their next coach.
The fact Hafley is leaving to become a head coach isn’t surprising given he had interviewed with six teams and the fact it is the Dolphins isn’t surprising because their new general manager is former Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Hafley was one of the hottest candidates on the market and the Dolphins wasted no time hiring him. Hafley had interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers over the weekend and was scheduled to have a second interview with the Tennessee Titans.
It’s likely LaFleur had a list of replacement candidates ready before he signed his extension, knowing that it was likely Hafley would leave and he would need to move fast to replace him if LaFleur remained with the Packers.
The market is flush with candidates given there have been 10 head-coaching openings and some of the staffs who remain under contract are going to be given a chance to seek other jobs. LaFleur would need permission to interview someone who is currently employed as a defensive coordinator, so his list will include some assistant coaches who haven’t risen to the coordinator position.
LaFleur’s in-house candidates include defensive run game coordinator Demarcus Covington, who has interviewed for two coordinator jobs with other teams, and pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley, who was a defensive coordinator with the Las Angeles Chargers before joining the Packers.
Under Hafley, the Packers ranked 13th in 2025 and third in 2024, playing his mostly zone, one-high safety, 4-3 defense. There was immediate improvement from previous coordinator Joe Barry’s scheme and, until the Packers lost defensive end Micah Parsons to a season-ending ACL tear, they were a balanced unit able to get pressure without having to blitz much.
It's likely LaFleur will want some continuity given his players’ investment in the system and will seek someone who runs a 4-3 defense. The Packers have assembled defensive linemen who are better-suited for a 4-3, but they have some players who could excel rushing off the edge as outside linebackers.
Former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris, who was fired after the season, is one of LaFleur’s close friends and might be a candidate. He comes from a Tampa-2 defensive background, which employs a 4-3 front but differs in several ways from Hafley’s system.
Some other established coaches who are or might be available are Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator and former Packers linebackers coach Patrick Graham, former Wisconsin defensive coordinator and current Denver pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, Chicago Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris, former Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott, current Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, former Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will be Dolphins head coach
Continue reading...
LaFleur, who signed a multi-year contract extension Jan. 16, is losing Jeff Hafley, his second-year coordinator who is about to become the Miami Dolphins’ head coach.
Multiple national reports, including from ESPN and NFL Network, indicated that the Dolphins had selected Hafley to be their next coach.
The fact Hafley is leaving to become a head coach isn’t surprising given he had interviewed with six teams and the fact it is the Dolphins isn’t surprising because their new general manager is former Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan.
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Hafley was one of the hottest candidates on the market and the Dolphins wasted no time hiring him. Hafley had interviewed with the Pittsburgh Steelers over the weekend and was scheduled to have a second interview with the Tennessee Titans.
It’s likely LaFleur had a list of replacement candidates ready before he signed his extension, knowing that it was likely Hafley would leave and he would need to move fast to replace him if LaFleur remained with the Packers.
The market is flush with candidates given there have been 10 head-coaching openings and some of the staffs who remain under contract are going to be given a chance to seek other jobs. LaFleur would need permission to interview someone who is currently employed as a defensive coordinator, so his list will include some assistant coaches who haven’t risen to the coordinator position.
LaFleur’s in-house candidates include defensive run game coordinator Demarcus Covington, who has interviewed for two coordinator jobs with other teams, and pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley, who was a defensive coordinator with the Las Angeles Chargers before joining the Packers.
Under Hafley, the Packers ranked 13th in 2025 and third in 2024, playing his mostly zone, one-high safety, 4-3 defense. There was immediate improvement from previous coordinator Joe Barry’s scheme and, until the Packers lost defensive end Micah Parsons to a season-ending ACL tear, they were a balanced unit able to get pressure without having to blitz much.
It's likely LaFleur will want some continuity given his players’ investment in the system and will seek someone who runs a 4-3 defense. The Packers have assembled defensive linemen who are better-suited for a 4-3, but they have some players who could excel rushing off the edge as outside linebackers.
Raheem Morris, Jim Leonhard among possible candidates to replace Jeff Hafley
Former Atlanta coach Raheem Morris, who was fired after the season, is one of LaFleur’s close friends and might be a candidate. He comes from a Tampa-2 defensive background, which employs a 4-3 front but differs in several ways from Hafley’s system.
Some other established coaches who are or might be available are Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator and former Packers linebackers coach Patrick Graham, former Wisconsin defensive coordinator and current Denver pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, Chicago Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris, former Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott, current Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, former Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will be Dolphins head coach
Continue reading...
