Matt LaFleur lost his defensive coordinator during the 2026 NFL offseason. Jeff Hafley left the Green Bay Packers to become the Miami Dolphins’ head coach, only to be recently replaced by Jonathan Gannon. The Packers head coach shared his take on the new hire.
Matt LaFleur Comments on Packers’ New Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon
Gannon spent the past three years as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, but he was let go following the 2025 NFL season. It didn’t take him long to land a new job, but it will be as a defensive coordinator.
LaFleur addressed the media after the Packers’ decision to hire Gannon as Hafley’s replacement. The head coach gave his take on what it could mean for the franchise, and also delivered a message to his new defensive coordinator.
“We are thrilled to add Jonathan Gannon to our coaching staff. He possesses tremendous experience as an NFL coordinator and head coach. I am confident that he will be an outstanding addition to our organization, as well as a strong leader of our defense. We welcome Jonathan, his wife, Gina, and their three children, Rocco, Lola and Angelo, to the Packers and the Green Bay community,” stated LaFleur.
Gannon has proven success as a defensive coordinator, spending two years in that role with the Philadelphia Eagles before being hired as the Cardinals’ head coach. His final season with the Eagles included the defense finishing sixth in PFSN’s Impact Rankings, on the way to a Super Bowl appearance. They also led the NFL with an impressive 70 total sacks.
He will now replace Hafley in Green Bay on LaFleur’s staff, returning to a role where he found more success than as a head coach. The Packers defense has plenty of talent for him to work with, including Micah Parsons, so it should be a solid landing spot for him. Parsons could potentially thrive under Gannon, given his history of pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
While his defenses in Arizona severely struggled, being the head coach put him in a much different role. LaFleur is admittedly excited about the hire, raving about his experience and leadership throughout his coaching career.
The Packers are likely to enter the 2026 season as one of the Super Bowl contenders, and if Gannon can help their defense take a step forward, they will improve their chances of making a run at it.
