GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — New Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon says he doesn’t consider himself a “huge rah-rah guy,” but there’s one point the former Arizona Cardinals coach is trying to make sure he gets across.
This is his message: You are under no obligation to be the person you were five minutes ago.
“I said it for the players, but it’s for us, too,” Gannon said Monday during his first media session since taking this job three months ago. “And what that’s basically saying is grow and adapt and get better. And if we all have that mindset and can continually stick to the process, we’ll get better.”
That adaptability is apparent from Gannon’s schematic approach.
The Packers had run a 4-3 defense during Jeff Hafley’s two years as coordinator before the Miami Dolphins hired him as their coach. Green Bay previously had utilized a 3-4 alignment under Joe Barry, the Packers’ defensive coordinator from 2021-23.
Gannon says he wants to adjust his scheme to reflect the strengths of his personnel.
“I don’t really get caught up in 4-3, 3-4,” Gannon said. “We’re an NFL-style defense hopefully, right? I just believe that you’ve got to be, you’ve got to continually every year try to adapt and solve problems and really with your guys in mind.”
Gannon has some specific principles he likes to utilize, but he said he’s not going to force a defense to do something that doesn’t suit its players’ talents.
“We’ve got to put them in the best positions possible, that they feel comfortable that they can go out and play the game,” Gannon said. “Before scheme, I truly believe it’s not what you play, it’s how you play.”
Gannon comes to Green Bay after an unsuccessful head coaching stint. He went 15-36 at Arizona before getting fired late in his third season.
Before going to Arizona, Gannon had a productive two seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator. The Eagles reached the Super Bowl, ranked second in the league in total defense and had a franchise-record 70 sacks — 15 more than any other NFL team — in Gannon’s final season with them.
Gannon described the interview process with Packers coach Matt LaFleur and how it made him eager to join his Green Bay staff.
“I think Matt’s a savant, so he can go from topic to topic to topic, and you’ve got to be pretty wired up or you’ll fall behind pretty quick,” Gannon said. “It was intense. I was sweating. I was in a coat and tie, and I think I was sweating a little bit. It was fun. It was fun. I got home off the plane and I told my wife, Gina, I said, ‘This is where I want to go.’"
Gannon takes over a defense that ranked 12th in yards allowed per game (311.8), ninth in yards allowed per play (5.0) and 11th in points allowed per game (21.2) last season. That defense wasn’t the same after All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons tore his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that occurred during the first of Green Bay’s five straight losses to end the season.
Parsons has said he hopes to be back for the start of the 2026 season, but has indicated a Week 3 or Week 4 return is more likely. Gannon believes Green Bay’s defense has plenty of other productive players to go along with Parsons.
“It’s a good mix of some younger players, (and) we’ve got some vets that are some really good players — that sweet spot,” Gannon said. “(Safety Xavier) McKinney, you think he’s been playing forever because he’s such a high performing vet, but he’s still pretty young. And then you got some guys that are younger and in their first contract that have played really good football.”
Green Bay’s defense has some new faces who are familiar with Gannon. Linebacker Zaire Franklin began his NFL career in Indianapolis when Gannon was coaching the Colts’ defensive backs. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave had a career-high 11 sacks as part of Gannon’s Philadelphia defense in 2022.
Gannon knows the type of defense he wants to see. He believes the Packers have the pieces in place to play that style, no matter how they line up.
“I think that’s what a good defense looks like — a fast, violent, physical team that takes the ball away,” Gannon said.
