Packers have their new DC: Jeff Hafley.

First things first, Matt LaFleur and Jeff Hafley’s overall game day wardrobe and presentation:

Remarkable.

Second things second: Let me welcome Hafley to the Packers with the song of our people: #FIREHAFLEY*!

Third things third: I learned about this hire as I was driving down to Milwaukee to call a college basketball game last night. When the news broke, and I surmised that I had never in my life heard of Jeff Hafley, my immediate reaction was that I hated it. The host who broke the news then informed his listening audience that Hafley went 22-26 in 4 years as the head coach at Boston College and was reportedly on the chopping block at the end of the season last year. So I hated it even more. By the time I parked I had convinced myself that they should have just kept Joe Barry if this was the move.

Well, as it turns out, judging a man’s entire character on a 3 minute radio segment might not be the best way to evaluate a hire. Hand up, I’ve got to be better.

Because when I had a chance to finally dig into his history as a defensive coach, there was actually a lot to like.

Namely: His defensive philosophy seems to be the George Costanza ‘opposite’ of Joe Barry’s.

YES YES YES. No more watching defensive backs sitting 10 yards off of a receiver on 3rd down and 7?? Sign me up!

And although his time at BC wasn’t perfect, he was the co-defensive coordinator at  Ohio State in 2019, a year that they produced the #1 defense in all of college football.

He also has a history of coaching defensive backs in the NFL. As Packer fans, I wouldn’t put Richard Sherman near the top of our favorite people list, but he is inarguably one of the best corners in the league in the last 20-ish years. Here’s what he had to say about Hafley:

Okay, now not only do I not hate him, I think I’m starting to like him. Amazing what going from totally uninformed to mildy informed can do for you!

At the end of the day, this seems like a solid hire. His philosophy sounds like a complete shift from the one we watched with Joe Barry. He gets glowing reviews from other coaches he’s worked with, and players he’s coached. His vest game is strong. Ultimately he’ll be judged on whether or not he can transform this defense into one that ranks in the top-10 or 12. With the way the offense looked at the end of the year (and assuming they can stay on that track), that type of defense should be enough to make a deep playoff run next season.

*If I know Packer fans the way I think I do, we’ll be seeing that phrase unironically if this defense gives up a touchdown on the opening drive of the 2023-24 season.

PS: He even SOUNDS like LaFleur:

Sean McVay address his legions of clones since 2017: