Green Bay Packers Hire New NFL Defensive Coordinator

Matt LaFleur, the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, announced a significant shift in the defensive coaching staff when he chose to fire defensive coordinator Joe Barry. While the fan base has harshly criticised LaFleur for only recruiting coaches he knows or has already worked with, he deserves equal recognition for searching out and selecting real, highly sought-after football coaches.

Only Jason Rebrovich and Ryan Downard, two important coaches from Barry’s staff, will remain on the team, though each will play a different role. Downard is switching from safeties coach to defensive backs coach, and Rebrovich is switching from linebackers coach to defensive line coach.

The most significant alteration, of course, is that Barry has been replaced as defensive coordinator by Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley. Since being hired, he has also brought on the highly sought-after Anthony Campanile as the linebackers coach and run game coordinator, as well as Vince Oghobaase as an assistant defensive line coach.

The defensive backs coach for the Packers has also served as the group’s coordinator of the passing game in previous years. Hafley and LaFleur have chosen to appoint a former NFL defensive coordinator as their passing game coordinator rather than assigning Downard the responsibility.