GREEN BAY – With the Green Bay Packers season over, their defensive coordinator has a busy week ahead of him.
Jeff Hafley reportedly has five interviews for head-coaching positions scheduled with the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons. Those interviews will begin soon since the Packers are no longer competing in the playoffs.
Coach Matt LaFleur said he expects Hafley to get one of the openings, which would require him to fill the Packers top defensive coaching job.
“I think all options are on the table,” LaFleur said when asked if Hafley would be replaced by an assistant already on the Packers defense’s staff. “I think that’s something we’ll be working through. I fully anticipate, I think Hafley is going to do a great job on the interview, and I fully anticipate him getting one of these. And I would be so happy for him because he deserves it. He’s a great friend, he’s a great man, he’s a great coach. I’d hate to see him leave for us, but at the same time that’s what this business is all about. He’s earned those opps, so I’m excited for him in that regard, but we’ll make sure we’ve got a good plan in place.”
Hafley said last week his full focus was on preparing for the Packers wild-card playoff matchup against the Chicago Bears. He added his career ambition is to get a shot at being an NFL head coach.
“Would one day I like to be a head coach again?” Hafley said. “Absolutely, for sure.”
Hafley added: “Hearing my name out there, it’s obviously extremely flattering and very humbling. I think when you work for an organization like the Packers and have a head coach like Matt, and players like we do and a defensive staff like we do, I’m just honored to be in those. I think right now with all that stuff, it can be a distraction. So I’m trying to lock in on these playoffs and do the best that we can, and then whenever that time comes, we’ll figure it out and go from there.
“But extremely honored and flattered just to be mentioned, but for right now this is the Bears. This is one of the biggest rivalries in all of football, one that I have watched for a very long time. Did not end the way we wanted it to the last time we played there. So I am going to do everything in my power to focus on every minute that I have to give this organization and these players everything I’ve got to go win this game.”
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Matt LaFleur expects Packers Jeff Hafley to be NFL head coach next year
