Were you tired of the New York Jets being the Packers East? Well, get ready for another helping anyway.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Wednesday that the Jets have requested to speak to Green Bay’s defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley for their head coaching opening. Hafley has spent all of one year with the Packers after leaving his position as Boston College’s head coach to return to the NFL level, where he coached from 2012 to 2018.
Officially, the Jets have already interviewed 10 candidates for their job with several others having interviews reportedly scheduled down the line. So Hafley, who hasn’t been interviewed for any other openings around the league, isn’t exactly the favorite here. It’s anyone’s guess who the Jets want, though, as the search is wide open.
In his first year as the Packers’ defensive coordinator, Hafley’s unit was the fourth-best in the league in defensive EPA/play, only behind the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings in the NFC. For perspective, the team was 24th in the same stat last season under former defensive coordinator Joe Barry. The team was balanced in the pass and run game too, as they ranked seventh versus the pass this season and eighth against the run.
Interestingly enough, Packers executive vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan has also interviewed to be the Jets’ general manager. If for whatever reason Sullivan lands the Jets’ job — one of only two gigs with general manager and head coaching vacancies — maybe Hafley’s name will catch a little more steam.
Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterJan 15, 2025, 11:13 PM ETCloseCollege football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.Tennessee d
By ASSOCIATED PRESS and ISABEL BALDWIN Published: 03:55 GMT, 16 January 2025 | Updated: 04:17 GMT, 16 January 2025
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