A week ago, Micah Parsons boldly predicted that Jeff Hafley "ain't goin' nowhere." Turns out it was just wishful thinking, as the Miami Dolphins reportedly plan to hire Hafley as their new head coach.
It showed how much Parsons loved playing for him. And understandably so. Parsons made 12.5 sacks in 14 games, with Pro Football Focus crediting him with 79 pressures. He was the chess piece of Hafley's defense.
Following the news of Hafley's departure on Monday, Parsons again praised his now former defensive coordinator.
"Genuinely happy for haf! Great guy great person! Gonna miss his energy!" Parsons posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Micah Parsons speaks for all Packers fans with message to Jeff Hafley ahead of his departure
It's a bittersweet moment. Like Parsons, we're all happy for Hafley, who deserves this opportunity. Anyone who has watched 30 seconds of one of his press conferences can completely understand why he aced the interview process and drew significant interest from multiple teams.
And that's also why it's tough to see him go.
It goes beyond just the scheme and the impact Hafley made. As Parsons wrote, he's a leader, a great person, and the team loved him.
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Hafley helped turn around a defensive unit that underperformed under Joe Barry. Way before the Parsons trade, Hafley inherited a defense that ranked No. 17 overall, No. 9 against the pass, and No. 28 against the run, and helped them reach No. 6 overall, No. 13 against the pass, and No. 7 against the run.
With the addition of Parsons this year, Hafley built one of the league's best defenses. Injuries eventually took their toll, with the Packers losing not only Parsons but also Devonte Wyatt, and they also traded away Kenny Clark.
Despite losing Hafley, it's impossible not to feel happy for him. Many Dolphins fans are unimpressed by the move. He's not an established name like John Harbaugh, Robert Saleh, or Kevin Stefanski. They are also still haunted by the Joe Philbin era in Miami after he joined from Green Bay.
But rewind two years, when the Packers hired Hafley, remember the general feeling? "Who?" was the common question.
It didn't take long for Hafley to win everyone over. Fast forward to today, and we only wish he could've stayed longer. Parsons hit the nail on the head. Nobody wanted to see him go, but it's impossible not to wish him well in Miami.