It’s not easy being a patient sports fan living in today’s “First Take” world. Broadcast sports media is saturated with pundits and shows devoted to the reactionary hot take. Online, it gets even worse. Those TV hot takes become like wet Gremlins – they multiply, by the literal millions.
Ever since the blockbuster Parsons acquisition – just 10 days before the start of the season – the Packers have been swimming in a cauldron of the spiciest takes. When the team started red hot, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, it was entirely predictable that the hype train would spin out of control. Pat McAfee was calling this defense “generational” (and he wasn’t alone).
Another strong defensive performance, albeit in a loss to Cleveland, had NFL insider Bucky Brooks inspired to write a piece speculating that, “Jeff Hafley could become NFL's hottest head-coaching candidate”.
A week later, the glorified Hafley defense would come crashing back to Earth, allowing 40 points in a disappointing tie to Dallas. Despite being 2-1-1 and full of promise, some Packers fans were, incredulously, ready to give up on Coach LaFleur. Packers pundit and @PackADayPodcast host Andy Herman, patiently took time to address a fan who wondered if the Packers should fire Coach LaFleur and make Jeff Hafley the head coach. Herman’s response, overflowing with logic and common sense [watch in full, here], can basically be boiled down to a succinct, “Hell no!”
Yes, it is more than fair to critique LaFleur for his clock management in the Dallas game. It was not his finest hour, and Coach admitted as much in his post game press conference. But how about some perspective? LaFleur’s 67 regular-season wins (from 2019-2024) are the second-most in NFL history for a head coach in their first six seasons (please repeat that sentence if you need to). Further, LaFleur has achieved five playoff berths in his first six seasons, and has taken the Packers to two NFC Championship games.
LaFleur isn’t going anywhere, and nor should he. Whether they realize it or not, Packers fans are so incredibly lucky to have him. But what about Hafley?
Even though Hafley interviewed for the vacant New York Jets head coaching position back in January of this year, I suspect that was more exploratory, and not a reflection of serious interest. Hafley is a New Jersey native, and went to school in Sienna, just north of Albany, NY, so it made sense to meet with a NY/NJ team that wanted to meet with him.
The idea that Green Bay is, for Hafley, just a quick pit stop en route to a bigger head coaching gig is belied by the man’s own words. At his kick-off press conference with the Packers, Hafley said: "As a guy that grew up loving football, it’s the Green Bay Packers. This is like the mecca of the football world to me and probably to most people who grew up loving football. Just being here and driving into Lambeau every day, it still feels surreal. The community, maybe the best fans in all the world as well."
Does this sound like a man ready to jump ship after two seasons? The Packers are unquestionably contenders and Gutekunst just gifted Hafley with arguably the most talented defensive player in football, about to enter his prime. The rest of the defense is loaded with young, exciting talent. Seeing how far he can take this unit, and potentially winning a Super Bowl in “the mecca of the football world” might mean far more to Hafley than running to the first head coaching job that comes his way.
Just 46 years old, Hafley has his entire coaching career ahead of him, and surely opportunities will come. But right now his focus is Green Bay. In his first year, Hafley took a middling Joe Barry unit and elevated them to 5th in yards allowed, 6th in points allowed, and 4th in takeaways – a seismic leap from what existed before. This year, again, aided by the Parsons factor – the expectations are even higher.
I get it, the media and fans need to speculate, and it’s fun to do so. But the whiplash we collectively experience from game to game is almost too much sometimes. And even though LaFleur and Hafley are frequently the target of such speculation, I’m sure neither man cares about any of it. For now, as they should be, they’re focused on the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s one game at a time, with the ultimate goal in mind: the Vince Lombardi Trophy.