Packers receive bad news and will have to replace underrated piece of their coaching staff
The Green Bay Packers have lost linebackers coach and run game coordinator Anthony Campanile. On Friday, he was hired as the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, under new head coach Liam Coen, according to NFL Network's insider Tom Pelissero. The Jaguars’ defensive coordinator position is particularly attractive because, under an offensive-minded head coach, Campanile will be […]
The Green Bay Packers have lost linebackers coach and run game coordinator Anthony Campanile. On Friday, he was hired as the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator, under new head coach Liam Coen, according to NFL Network's insider Tom Pelissero.
The Jaguars’ defensive coordinator position is particularly attractive because, under an offensive-minded head coach, Campanile will be the defensive playcaller.
In his first (and only) season with the Packers, Campanile helped develop rookie Edgerrin Cooper and impacted former first-round pick Quay Walker to have his best season in the NFL. At the same time, the Packers run defense was eighth in EPA/play—it had been 32nd between 2019 and 2023.
"He's one of the best, most loyal people I've ever been around,” Jeff Hafley said during the season. “He's one of the best football coaches I've ever been around. I'm glad, very glad that he's here. I think you guys (journalists) will enjoy him. More importantly, I think the players are gonna love him and that's really important as we build this staff."
Hafley and Campanile had never worked together, but they have a close relationship. When Hafley left Rutgers to go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he indicated Campanile as a replacement. At that time, Campanile was a high school assistant coach at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J, where he had worked both on defense and offense. That jump to the collegiate level changed Campanile's career, and he became forever grateful.
In college, he was a defensive assistant, tight ends coach, and wide receivers coach at Rutgers. Then, defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator at Boston College, before being a linebackers coach at Michigan.
Before being hired by the Packers in 2024, Anthony Campanile spent four seasons as the Miami Dolphins linebackers coach.
Replacement
If head coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley want to go with an internal option to replace Campanile, the most logical option is defensive assistant Sean Duggan. He was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under Hafley at Boston College in 2023—he had been the linebackers coach since Hafley took over in 2020 and was promoted in their final season there. Duggan had also been a LBs coach at Hawaii and UMass.
The Packers might also look for external, more experienced options, because Anthony Campanile was also the run game coordinator.