The Green Bay Packers have officially announced the hiring of defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon ... over a week after word of the news broke. Better late than never, we suppose. Right?
Green Bay has historically been slow to make changes under head coach Matt LaFleur. Either way, it was worth the wait because he released an exciting statement about Gannon's arrival.
By the sound of LaFleur's comments, he's very much looking forward to working with Gannon. The idea of having another adult in the room with a proven track record of success is ostensibly a strong selling point.
Jonathan Gannon's strong endorsement from Matt LaFleur has Packers fans amped
LaFleur gave Gannon and his family a warm welcome to Titletown. However, the former also shared a powerful message to the Green Bay faithful on what the latter brings to the table.
"We are thrilled to add Jonathan Gannon to our coaching staff," LaFleur said via the team's official website. "He possesses tremendous experience as an NFL coordinator and head coach. I am confident that he will be an outstanding addition to our organization, as well as a strong leader of our defense. We welcome Jonathan, his wife, Gina, and their three children, Rocco, Lola and Angelo, to the Packers and the Green Bay community."
It's clear what LaFleur valued in the search for Jeff Hafley's replacement as the Packers' defensive coordinator. The goal was evidently to bring in not just a play-caller, but a tactician who can also command respect and connect with players. With that in mind, Gannon proved to be the answer.
For what it's worth, LaFleur isn't the first individual with strong Packers ties to weigh in on what was initially perceived as an underwhelming addition. Retired offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga echoed a similar sentiment. Whether Gannon was Green Bay's top choice or not is up for debate, though his profile fit what they were searching for.
Yes, Gannon's most recent stint as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals failed spectacularly. Nevertheless, Green Bay presents a massive opportunity in a league of second chances. He earned that job thanks to his previous efforts with the Philadelphia Eagles in the same role the Packers brought him in for.