After a rocky end to his time in Arizona, Jonathan Gannon is back in the NFL - and back in the NFC North - this time as the new defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers moved quickly to fill the vacancy left by Jeff Hafley, who recently departed to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Enter Gannon, a familiar name with a deep defensive résumé and plenty of experience in the division.
Gannon spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings under Mike Zimmer from 2014 to 2017, serving as the assistant defensive backs coach. That stint gave him a front-row seat to the NFC North’s hard-nosed style of play - and now he returns with an even broader toolkit.
Before his most recent head coaching stop in Arizona, Gannon made his mark as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, a season that ended with a trip to Super Bowl LVII. That Eagles defense was no joke - they ranked first in the league in yards allowed per pass attempt and tenth in points allowed per drive. Gannon’s unit was aggressive, disciplined, and opportunistic, a reflection of his coaching philosophy that blends schematic soundness with situational aggression.
After that Super Bowl run, Gannon was hired by the Arizona Cardinals to be their head coach in 2023. His first year in the desert showed promise - an 8-9 finish that, while not playoff-worthy, hinted at a team moving in the right direction.
But 2025 was a different story. The Cardinals fell hard, ending the season at 3-14.
The reasons were many - injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, and a defense that couldn't hold up - but the result was the same: Gannon was out.
Now, he gets a fresh start in Green Bay, where the defense needs a steady hand. The Packers were hit hard late in the season after star edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL, missing the final four games.
Without their defensive anchor, the unit struggled to generate pressure and gave up chunk plays at a concerning rate. Gannon inherits a group that has talent - especially in the front seven - but needs direction and cohesion.
What Gannon brings is a proven track record of developing defensive backs and designing schemes that maximize pass-rush potential. His time in Indianapolis (2018-2020) as the Colts’ defensive backs coach also built the foundation for his later success in Philly.
It was there that he connected with Nick Sirianni, who brought him along when he took over as Eagles head coach in 2021. That connection paid dividends, as Gannon’s defense helped fuel one of the most balanced teams in the NFL during that 2022 Super Bowl run.
The Packers aren’t starting from scratch defensively, but they do need a reset. Gannon’s challenge will be to reestablish a defensive identity, one that can withstand injuries and elevate the play of young contributors. If he can do that, Green Bay could once again field a defense capable of complementing their rising offense.
For Gannon, this is a chance to reassert himself as one of the league’s top defensive minds - and for the Packers, it’s a calculated move to bring in a coach who’s been to the mountaintop and knows what it takes to get there.