The Green Bay Packers have started the 2025 season as well as anyone could have imagined, beating the stuffing out of a much-hated division rival in the Detroit Lions before making a high-octane Washington Commanders offense look incredibly average in a Thursday Night Football victory.
While most of the credit will go to the brilliant combination of creative head coach Matt LaFleur and an ascending quarterback in Jordan Love, the defensive side of the ball has been even more impressive to start this season. Micah Parsons certainly helps, but defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is looking like a mastermind.
Jayden Daniels didn't even have 90 yards passing by the time the fourth quarter came around, and Packers tight end Tucker Kraft almost outgained Washington as a team until garbage time came calling. Hafley limited Washington to just 18 points, including one touchdown that came when the result was essentially in hand.
By the end of this season, Hafley may have put together such a stifling defense that teams from across the league will be trying everything they can to hire him as their next leading man, which will take one of LaFleur's best assets away from him.
Packers must prepare for DC Jeff Hafley to become head coach in 2026 after hot start
Hafley, who has nearly a decade of experience in the NFL as a defensive backs coach before joining the college ranks as Ohio State's DC, was eventually named head coach at Boston College. Despite tough recruiting disadvantages, Hafley went 22-26 and made two bowl games with the Eagles.
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Hafley did get some interest from the New York Jets before they filled their head coaching vacancy with Aaron Glenn last cycle, suggesting that the league is already aware of Hafley's quality as a defensive mind. A strong 2025 season with a Parsons-added defense could help get Hafley even more interest.
LaFleur may not only be deprived of his top defensive mastermind in Hafley, but he will also be deprived of many of his top assistants. The offensive side could lose names like OL coach Luke Butkus and passing game coordinator Jason Vrable, while defensive assistants like defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington and defensive PGC Derrick Ainsley may jump with Hafley.
If Hafley keeps putting together more performances like the virtuoso showing he uncorked against Washington, all signs point to the rest of the league putting together a very earnest push to lure him away from LaFleur and the Packers.