The Green Bay Packers are hiring Jonathan Gannon, the Arizona Cardinals’ former head coach, to be their new defensive coordinator, a league source said Sunday.
Gannon replaces outgoing defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who was recently hired as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach. Hafley spent two seasons in the role and led the Packers’ defensive unit that finished the 2025 regular season 11th in scoring defense and 12th in yards allowed per game.
The Cardinals fired Gannon earlier this month following a 15-36 record over three seasons in Arizona. The 43-year-old Gannon was the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator before coaching the Cardinals. Gannon didn’t call defensive plays during his three seasons in Arizona, though the Cardinals finished 30th over that span in points allowed per game and 28th in yards allowed per game. Over his two seasons as Eagles defensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022, Gannon helped Philadelphia finish 11th in scoring defense and third in points allowed per game.
He will oversee a group that includes Defensive Player of the Year finalist Micah Parsons, as well as two-time reigning All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney, standout defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and promising young players such as linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Evan Williams.
The Packers are hiring former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon to be their new defensive coordinator, per source.
Gannon replaces Jeff Hafley in Green Bay.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 25, 2026
Gannon will be Green Bay’s fourth defensive coordinator in Matt LaFleur’s eighth season as head coach. LaFleur retained Mike Pettine from former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy’s staff before moving on from Pettine after two seasons and replacing him with Joe Barry. Barry served as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator for three seasons before LaFleur replaced him with Hafley.
In addition to Gannon, the Packers reportedly interviewed former Eagles defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker (the Dallas Cowboys hired him as their new defensive coordinator), Chicago Bears defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Al Harris, and Minnesota Vikings defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones. They did not, however, wait until Monday to interview Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator and assistant head coach Jim Leonhard, who would’ve been eligible to speak with the Packers after coaching in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Gannon also has a background coaching defensive backs. He was the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive backs coach for three seasons before calling plays for the Eagles and an assistant defensive backs coach for the Vikings during the four seasons before that.
The Packers have several looming questions on defense that will get answers this offseason. First and foremost, how will Parsons recover from his torn ACL suffered in Week 15 of this season? Will the Packers re-sign linebacker Quay Walker? How will Wyatt rehab from his leg and ankle injuries that sidelined him for the season on Thanksgiving in Detroit? Will the Packers cut the underperforming Rashan Gary to free up cap space, and if so, can Gannon help young edge rushers like Lukas Van Ness, Barryn Sorrell and Collin Oliver elevate their games? Will the Packers give cornerback Keisean Nixon a pay raise, or will they reconfigure their cornerback room instead?
Gannon has talented pieces to work with on his new defense but several uncertainties, and he’ll try and help LaFleur lead the Packers into Super Bowl contention next season.
