The Green Bay Packers will take on the struggling New York Giants on Sunday, hoping to bounce back from two consecutive losses. The NFC North squad has questions to answer after allowing 26 points in its last two games, but scoring just 20.
The Giants will have Mike Kafka on the sideline after the team fired Brian Daboll as head coach. Many people have been touted as potential candidates to replace Daboll, including a Packers coach.
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Matt Schneidman of The Athletic notes that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley could make his case to become the Giants’ next head coach.
“Jeff Hafley will perform his current job as Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator on Sunday at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants, but he also might be auditioning for his next one,” Schneideman wrote.
“The Giants fired Brian Daboll as their head coach on Monday. Hours later, Hafley’s defense held the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to their lowest point total since their 2023 playoff loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Don’t be surprised if Hafley’s actual job interview for New York’s head-coaching position comes in a matter of months.”
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This wouldn’t be his first time as a head coach prospect. Hafley interviewed for the New York Jets’ job before former Detroit Lions DC Aaron Glenn took it.
Hafley has done a remarkable job with the Packers in just two seasons. Since the start of 2024, Green Bay ranks fifth in scoring defense (19.8 points allowed per game), fourth in yards allowed per game (305.1), third in rushing yards allowed per game (96.7), 12th in passing yards allowed per game (208.3), eighth in third-down defense (36.9 opponent conversion percentage), 21st in red-zone defense (60.3 opponent touchdown percentage) and seventh in takeaways (37), per Schneideman.
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Micah Parsons endorses Jeff Hafley for a potential head-coaching job
One of his players, Micah Parsons, supported Hafley’s chances of becoming a head coach in the NFL. Parsons noted that Hafley has the traits to succeed as a team leader.
“I do see it in his future,” Parsons said. “I think he’s a very player-first coach, same with ‘Zim’ and same with ‘Q’ (Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn, Parsons’ former defensive coordinators with head-coaching experience). I don’t want it to happen sooner than later, but it probably will. You know how this league goes. He’s just a hell of a coach and one thing I like is we communicate on such a high level.”
Other potential candidates are Bill Belichick and Jon Gruden, two former NFL head coaches.
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