Matt LaFleur has been the head coach of the Green Bay Packers for seven seasons. He’s had three different defensive coordinators in that timeframe. Now, after Jeff Hafley accepted a promotion to be head coach of the Miami Dolphins, LaFleur needs to hire his fourth defensive coordinator.
Yet, the Packers wasted no time in replacing Hafley as the team’s defensive play-caller. In the same week that they lost Hafley, Green Bay has already found a new defensive leader.
On Sunday, the Packers hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon as their new defensive coordinator.
The Packers finished with the 11th-ranked defense in points allowed in 2025, giving Gannon a great foundation to work with, especially with Micah Parsons leading the charge.
Gannon spent three seasons as head coach of the Cardinals before being relieved of his duties at the conclusion of this season. Yet, many thought he would retain his job, even after leading them to a 3-14 record. Nevertheless, the Cardinals moved on after Gannon’s 15-36. It didn’t help that his defenses ranked 31st, 15th, and 29th in Arizona.
Still, Gannon developed a reputation for being a strong defensive mind while working his way through the NFL coaching ranks. His pro career started in 2007 as a defensive quality control coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He then spent three seasons as a scout with the St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011.
In 2012, the Tennessee Titans brought him back to coaching as their defensive quality control coach for two seasons. Gannon then landed a job as the assistant defensive backs coach with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. This was a position he held until 2017.
Shortly after, Frank Reich hired Gannon to be the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive backs coach from 2018 to 2020. His work there helped him land the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator position in 2021. In 2022, he helped the Eagles make a Super Bowl appearance. His defenses ranked 18th and eighth in points allowed.
Yet, two days after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, Gannon accepted the Arizona Cardinals’ head coaching job. Now, he’ll be back to making calls on defense, this time for another team in the NFC North, where he’ll get to face the Vikings (his old team) twice per season.
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