Jonathan Gannon reveals his identity and shows exactly why Matt LaFleur and Packers chose him as new defensive coordinator
New DC, who replaces Jeff Hafley, has a varied background as a defensive mind in the NFL. It should be cool to watch what he can build with the current pieces at his disposal.
When the Green Bay Packers hired Jonathan Gannon to replace Jeff Hafley as their defensive coordinator, the initial questions were predictably about what system he would run. For now, it doesn’t matter that much, though. Sure, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach has his preferences and a general style of defense, but he will build a new version of his playbook based on what the roster offers him.
“I don’t get caught up in saying, ‘This is my playbook, this is what we run,’” Gannon said in his first press conference as the Packers DC. “If you’re not adapting your scheme to your players, you’re just doing what you do. And if a player can’t do that, what are you going to do? Just keep doing it? That doesn’t make sense to me. So when I say this is going to be a new system, I mean it. It’s the 2026 Green Bay Packers. And to me, that’s awesome. It’s fun.”
Schematic versatility
Gannon has already run 3-4 and 4-3 bases, different shells on the backend, and a variety of pressure packages as a defensive mind in the NFL. And new wrinkles could always emerge.
“I told the players this is going to be a little different for them,” Gannon stressed. “As we’re teaching, they’re going to see tape from Philly, Minnesota, Arizona, Green Bay, San Francisco, Buffalo, Alabama, Georgia — all over.”
This is a very Matt LaFleur-style of seeing the schematic evolution of football over the past few years. Obviously, LaFleur has his own principles and his brand of football. But the offensive staff is always finding new plays and concepts around the league.
More than scheme, the attitude is what matters for Gannon.
“I’m really big into play style, as Matt is, and the game is about the ball,” Gannon added. “You’ve got to find ways to take it away, and our job is to get Jordan back on the field as quickly as we can. So it’s about schematic and technical execution and playing fast.”
You can easily think that’s coach-speak. In May, every new coach says he will adapt his scheme to the players, and that’s not always the case in December. But Jonathan Gannon has a real track record of running completely different defenses, so what the Packers do in the regular season will be a construction around what players can do and do best.