Former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's departure following the 2025 campaign was not completely unexpected for the Green Bay Packers. His decision to accept the head Miami Dolphins' head coaching opening has put the onus on those left behind to ensure the star-studded Packers' defense has a leader who matches the talent on the field.
HC Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst ultimately landed on Jonathan Gannon as the answer to that question, hiring the former Arizona Cardinals head coach to fill the DC-sized hole left by Hafley's move to South Beach.
Gannon's credentials fit the role, but it seems safe to say that Green Bay had plenty of candidates it was interested in pursuing, namely, Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach Jim Leonhard. For better or worse, any conversations with Leonhard were limited due to league rules before the Packers reached a final decision on Gannon.
Green Bay Couldn't Wait Around Forever to Chase Jim Leonhard
With the Broncos making it as far as they did in the AFC playoffs, the Packers only had limited opportunities to speak with Leonhard, and they were catching up to the rest of the pack that had already conducted virtual interviews with the Wisconsin native.
While Leonhard likely would have been interested in the position, given his roots and familiarity with LaFleur. It should not be forgotten that he is the same head coach who offered Leonhard this exact role in 2021 before he passed on the opportunity to remain at the University of Wisconsin. The fact that he'd get to coach the likes of Micah Parsons and the rest of the Packers' defense should have been the icing on the cake.
However, as fans saw, Green Bay wasn't willing to wait around on a possibility that wasn't a sure thing. The Packers were always going to have to beat out a host of other franchises if they wanted to hire Leonhard to be their next DC, as he has been a hot commodity in this coaching cycle.
Ultimately, this was the right decision, regardless of how intrigued LaFleur and Gutekunst may have been in bringing on Leonhard to run the defense.
Given the talent on this roster, going all-in on Leonhard and potentially coming up empty would have done a disservice to every member of the defense. By hiring Gannon, LaFleur and the front office know what they have and are comfortable with Gannon's voice leading that side of the ball.