Acme Packing Company
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley “has emerged as a frontrunner” for the Miami Dolphins’ head coaching vacancy. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, considering that Hafley is one of the hottest names on the coaching market. As of now, he’s been requested to interview or has interviewed for six of the eight head coaching openings in the league.
Miami has already pecked away at Green Bay this offseason, as they hired general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan from the Packers to run their front office. Since Sullivan got the job, the team has already signed a former Packer and has brought in a former Green Bay pro scout.
Green Bay East part II, anyone?
Mike Garafolo, also of the NFL Network, stated that the Packers “have begun work on defensive coordinator,” in preparation for the day that Hafley leaves. For what it’s worth, two internal candidates that make sense are defensive line coach and run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington and passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley, who have both been coordinators previously in the NFL. Covington has already been requested to interview for the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator opening and has interviewed with the New York Jets for the same role.
As far as Green Bay’s 2026 head coach goes, it seems like things are leaning back into it being LaFleur, after extension talks sputtered earlier this week. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, sources “would be surprised if the Packers didn’t complete extensions with both LaFleur and Gutekunst.” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini claimed a league source told her this about the situation: “Everyone is being dramatic. It’s getting done. Dumb organizations do dumb things, the Packers aren’t dumb.”
