With former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley off coaching the Miami Dolphins, the biggest move that the Green Bay Packers will make this offseason will probably be who they replace Hafley with. In talking to those in the know in the coaching and coaching representation space, two names have come up consistently (throughout the year), mostly because of convenience: defensive line coach/run game coordinator Demarcus Covington and pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley, two internal candidates who came to Green Bay after previous stints as defensive coordinators in the NFL.
Along with Hafley, both Covington and Ansley each have six years of non-Packers experience as on-field coaches in the NFL, the most on the staff outside of head coach Matt LaFleur and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Covington has received some defensive coordinator interest from other clubs in 2026, but the same hasn’t been said of Ansley, at least yet.
For what it’s worth, the same people who believe that Covington and Ansley could be defensive coordinator candidates in Green Bay also believe that Hafley could bring one with him at his next gig, too. Another name to know, from the Hafley end, is Jacksonville Jaguars’ linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, who was Hafley’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022. Sean Duggan, the Packers’ current linebackers coach, was a linebackers coach under Lukabu and was one of two co-defensive coordinators who were promoted once Lukabu left for the NFL.
In his opening press conference in Miami, Hafley has now stated that he will call plays from the Dolphins’ sideline. Now that the Hafley talk is over, let’s steer it back to the Packers.
A name brought up a lot by Packers fans is Raheem Morris, because of his close ties with LaFleur, but there’s some thought that he might just pivot to television (he has fans in the media) or could take a year off. Remember, when coaches are fired, their remaining salaries are still guaranteed. Morris might not be in a hurry to take a job, and he hasn’t scheduled an interview for defensive coordinator yet.
With all that being said, here’s a list of every coach who, so far, has at least scheduled an NFL defensive coordinator interview this cycle. We’ll also note which team(s) they interviewed with and if they have prior ties to the Packers.
Aaron Whitecotton, Dallas Cowboys, defensive line coach
Dallas Cowboys- Tennessee Titans
Whitecotton actually interviewed for the Packers for their defensive line vacancy last offseason, a job that ultimately went to Covington.
Al Harris, Chicago Bears, pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach
- Green Bay Packers
- Washington Commanders
Green Bay interviewed Harris, a former All-Pro cornerback for the team, on Wednesday. Harris’ Bears led the NFL in interceptions, turnovers and turnover differential in 2025.
Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins, defensive coordinator
- New York Giants
Aubrey Pleasant, Los Angeles Rams, assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator
- Los Angeles Chargers
Pleasant, the former defensive coordinator of the Lions, spent part of the 2022 season as an analyst with the Packers following his firing from the job in Detroit. He had previously worked with LaFleur at Washington (2013) and Los Angeles (2017).
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings, defensive coordinator
Dallas CowboysWashington Commanders
Flores has no ties to Green Bay as a defensive coordinator candidate, but he was interviewed for the 2019 head coaching opening that led to the hiring of LaFleur.He has re-signed with the Vikings.
Charlie Bullen, New York Giants, interim defensive coordinator
Dallas Cowboys
Chris Harris, New York Jets, interim defensive coordinator
- New York Jets
Harris interviewed for the Packers’ defensive coordinator opening in 2021, following the firing of Mike Pettine. The job went to Joe Barry.
Christian Parker, Philadelphia Eagles, pass game coordinator
Dallas CowboysGreen Bay Packers
Parker got his start in the NFL during LaFleur’s initial coaching staff. He was a quality control coach for the Packers from 2019 to 2020 before being hired as a defensive backs coach by the Broncos in 2021. He held that position until he joined the Eagles as their passing game coordinator in 2024. In 2024, Parker was also interviewed for the Packers’ defensive coordinator opening.Parker has now received the Cowboys job, the first outside hire at defensive coordinator in this cycle.
Daronte Jones, Minnesota Vikings, pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach
Dallas Cowboys- New York Jets
- New York Giants
- Green Bay Packers
Jones is reportedly interviewing with the Packers, with news breaking about the interview request on Tuesday morning.
Demarcus Covington, Green Bay Packers, run game coordinator/defensive line coach
Dallas Cowboys- New York Jets
Scroll up if you missed our Covington discussion at the start of this article.
Dennard Wilson, Tennessee Titans, defensive coordinator
- Washington Commanders
Wilson was interviewed for the 2024 defensive coordinator opening that went to Hafley. New head coach Robert Saleh has said that the Titans will not keep Wilson as their defensive coordinator.
Ephraim Banda, Cleveland Browns, safeties coach
Dallas Cowboys- New York Jets
Jim Leonhard, Denver Broncos, assistant head coach/pass game coordinator
Dallas Cowboys- New York Jets
Rumors at the time claimed that Leonhard was LaFleur’s first choice to replace Pettine, until Leonhard elected to remain the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Leonhard finally made the jump to the NFL in 2024 under Sean Payton, for whom he has a previous relationship dating back to the safety’s playing days.
Jim O’Neil, Detroit Lions, defensive assistant
- New York Jets
Joe Cullen, Kansas City Chiefs, defensive line coach
- Washington Commanders
- Baltimore Ravens
Jonathan Gannon, former Arizona Cardinals head coach
Dallas Cowboys- Washington Commanders
- Green Bay Packers
Gannon has set up an interview with the Packers for later this week. He was not a play-caller in Arizona, but he was a play-caller for the 2021-2022 Eagles. He has no prior ties to Green Bay. Gannon was not interviewed by LaFleur in 2021, when Gannon was on the market and scooped up by Philadelphia. The Packers ended up hiring Barry.
Karl Scott, Seattle Seahawks, defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator
- Washington Commanders
Mathieu Araujo, Miami Dolphins, cornerbacks coach
- New York Jets
Patrick Graham, Las Vegas Raiders, defensive coordinator
- Washington Commanders
Teryl Austin, Pittsburgh Steelers, defensive coordinator
- Washington Commanders
Wink Martindale, former Michigan defensive coordinator
- New York Jets
Zach Orr, Baltimore Ravens, defensive coordinator
Dallas Cowboys- Los Angeles Chargers
Orr was another candidate who interviewed with the Packers in 2024 for the job that went to Hafley.
