The Green Bay Packers have already dived in headfirst this offseason, making several important decisions that will shape their team in 2026. One decision was the Packers' hiring of Jonathan Gannon as their new defensive coordinator, which came at the expense of Jim Leonhard.
A Wisconsin native, Leonhard reportedly had “mutual interest” in the Packers' defensive coordinator position. But Green Bay chose Gannon one day before Leonhard’s Denver Broncos lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
As a result, Leonhard became the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and made a great first impression during his introductory press conference on Thursday, saying he chose Buffalo because “he knows this team is close to winning it all,” per Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.
“We’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to fly around,” Leonhard said. “...We’re going to play well together. It is a team defense. …We want to be a defense that’s constantly evolving and growing throughout a game and throughout a season.”
While the decision not to wait the 24 hours it would have taken for Leonard to become available may cause regret, Leonhard’s first words in Buffalo may have them second-guessing and could lead to a move that haunts Green Bay next season.
Leonhard’s First Comments as Bills DC Suggest He’s One the Packers Let Get Away
Leonard’s bold proclamation about the Bills instantly won over the fans in Buffalo. A quick scan of user posts on X ranged everywhere from sounding “like [the] complete opposite” of former head coach Sean McDermott’s scheme to being “clear about his vision for a defense and [being] able to speak with conviction about it.” Others went as far as to dub Leonhard a future head coach, which is something the Packers could have used to build on what Jeff Hafley left behind.
Hafley produced a defense that ranked fifth in total yards and sixth in scoring defense in his first season in 2024 and had Green Bay in the same neighborhood before losing Micah Parsons to a torn ACL late last year. While the results on the field were hard to replace, so was Hafley’s demeanor off the field, which stated a clear vision for his unit.
These are things that Leonhard has brought to Buffalo and could have brought to the Packers. Leonhard was considered for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job in 2020, but declined the offer to focus on his job at the University of Wisconsin, his alma mater. After being passed over for the Badgers’ head coaching job the following season, Leonhard returned to the NFL after a year at Illinois, joining the Broncos as the defensive backs and defensive passing game coordinator in 2024 and becoming the assistant head coach in 2025.
Leonhard was a hot defensive coordinator candidate after his time in Denver; despite that, Green Bay chose Gannon, who has a questionable track record outside of a Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. While Leonard has a confident demeanor at the podium, Gannon has shown a reckless intensity, talking himself into tough situations.
According to Pro Football Reference, Leonhard’s aggressive style is a stark contrast to Gannon, who didn’t log a blitz rate over 25 percent in his three seasons as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The Packers’ current defense may encourage Gannon’s conservative approach with Micah Parsons leading the way. However, it would have benefited Green Bay to have someone willing to force an opposing offense’s hand rather than hope they don’t give up a big play downfield.
It’s only February, and it’s hard for anyone to lose in an introductory press conference. But Leonhard’s words and the praise they garnered could be enough to make Packers fans believe they missed out on a good one.