Hafley leaves Boston College to become Packers’ DC

The Green Bay Packers are hiring Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley as their next defensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday.

“We are excited to welcome Jeff, his wife, Gina, and their daughters, Hope and Leah, to the Packers and the Green Bay community,” head coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement. “Jeff has had success at every stop of his coaching career with an impressive track record of developing players at every level. We look forward to him leading our defense.”

Hafley has spent the last four seasons at Boston College, posting a 22-26 record with the team (7-6 in 2023). One of the reasons behind the 44-year-old’s surprising decision to go to the NFL is reportedly the current state of college football.

“He wants to go coach football again in a league that is all about football,” a source told Pete Thamel of ESPN. “College coaching has become fundraising, NIL, and recruiting your own team and transfers. There’s no time to coach football anymore.”

Hafley has spent time as an assistant in the NFL throughout his career. He coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backs in 2012 and 2013 before becoming the DBs coach for the Cleveland Browns (2014-15) and San Francisco 49ers (2016-18). The New Jersey native also had a stint as Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2019 before taking the Boston College job.

The Packers have been looking for a new defensive coordinator since parting ways with Joe Barry on Jan. 24 after three seasons. Green Bay’s defense lacked consistency under Barry, ranking 17th in yards allowed in the last two seasons. It also placed 23rd in EPA/play allowed and 10th in points.

With head coach Matt LaFleur on the sideline and Jordan Love at quarterback, the Packers boast a promising team that posted a 9-8 record and reached the divisional round this season.

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