Boston College coach Jeff Hafley leaving post to become defensive coordinator for Green Bay Packers

Boston College coach Jeff Hafley will depart his post to take the vacant defensive coordinator position with the Green Bay Packers, the Packers announced Wednesday. Hafley spent the last four seasons with the Eagles and will replace former Packers DC Joe Barry, who was fired earlier this month.

“We are excited to welcome Jeff, his wife, Gina, and their daughters, Hope and Leah, to the Packers and the Green Bay community,” Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement released by the team. “Jeff has had success at every stop of his coaching career with an impressive track record of developing players at every level. We look forward to him leading our defense”

This will mark Hafley’s second stint in the NFL after serving as a defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers from 2011-18. He spent one season as the Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach before he was hired by Boston College.

Boston College reached bowl eligibility in three of Hafley’s four seasons at the helm. The 44-year-old most recently guided the Eagles to a 7-6 record – its most wins since the 2018 season – and ended the year with a win over No. 22 SMU in the Fenway Bowl.

Hafley will be charged with improving a Packers defense that ranked 22nd in points per drive (2.0), 25th in scoring percentage (39%), 20th in yards per play (5.4) and 25th in third down percentage in 2023 (41%). 

Hafley is the third sitting college head coach to voluntarily depart for a coordinator position this offseason. South Alabama coach Kane Wommack and Buffalo coach Maurice Linguist left their respective jobs to become co-defensive coordinators under new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.

Multiple high-profile coaches have been on the move since the end of the 2023 season. Following the retirement of former Alabama coach Nick Saban, DeBoer took over his position. Washington then hired Arizona coach Jedd Fisch as his replacement. That led the Wildcats to tab San Jose State coach Brent Brennan as Fisch’s replacement.

Jim Harbaugh departed Michigan, shortly after winning the national title, to take the vacant job with the Los Angeles Chargers. Wolverines offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore was promoted to replace him.