A few days ago, Ed Werder proposed that if Matt LaFleur were fired, Green Bay should consider former Badger Jim Leonhard for defensive coordinator. In this scenario, Jeff Hafley, the current defensive coordinator, would be promoted to head coach. However, the plan was abandoned when Green Bay chose to retain LaFleur.
LaFleur was able to appoint a new defensive coordinator after Hafley left the Packers to go for the Miami Dolphins. Now, there’s a lot of talk about returning Leonhard to Wisconsin.
Although several NFL commentators have stated that it is a very possible scenario, the most of the hype is coming from fans who want to see it happen.
Could Jim Leonhard be the next defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers?
Born in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, Leonhard was a player and eventually a coach for the Wisconsin Badgers. He is currently the head coach of the Badgers in a different universe. Chris McIntosh was on the verge of doing so, but ultimately decided to go with Luke Fickell. Leonhard joined the Denver Broncos coaching staff after entering the NFL.
After the Broncos are eliminated (or have won the Super Bowl), he has a number of alternatives. He is reportedly being considered for the position of defensive coordinator by the Jets, the Cowboys, and now Green Bay.
Given that Leonhard might return home, it seems like Green Bay would have to be the favorite if those are the possibilities. Participate in supporting the team in his home state that he grew up watching on TV. It will be interesting to watch how this all plays out and whether the Packers are prepared to wait out the NFL Playoffs for him, though, until the chatter becomes actual noise.
