There's no sign of beef in Green Bay among the coaching staff after the midseason addition of Robert Saleh
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley addressed the team's midseason addition of Robert Saleh to the coaching staff this Thursday. Saleh's “fluid” role according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur as a consultant was announced yesterday, as the former Jets' head coach quickly found another job in the league after being fired on October 8th.
When asked about Saleh, Hafley shed light on his longstanding frienship with the former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator. “I talked to Robert probably every week for the past 12 weeks. Robert is one of my best friends in this profession,” Hafley told Packers' beat writer Ryan Wood.
Hafley then responded to Wood's question about whether he would take any suggestions on defense from Saleh.
“There's one thing that's important to me, and that's winning. So if you've got a great blitz idea, let me know it. If it fits, we'll run it,” said the first-year NFL DC.
The comments shut down any sign of a rift in Green Bay amid Saleh's hiring. Especially considering that LaFleur is looking for Saleh's role to be more focused on the offensive side of the ball with the Packers. An interesting decision considering the fact that the former head coach made a name for himself in the NFL as a defensive coordinator.
Jeff Hafley worked with Robert Saleh in San Francisco
Hafley and Saleh have been established NFL coaches for well over a decade. In Saleh's case, almost two decades. The two eventually crossed paths in the Bay Area in 2017. Saleh was hired as the 49ers' new defensive coordinator while Hafley was serving as the defensive backs coach. The Packers' current DC soon left the 49ers in 2018 to become a co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State.
2017 was a trying year for the 49ers as they were in a rebuild under first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan. While they initially struggled under Saleh in his first year, the 49ers' defense eventually became San Franscisco's main strength over the next few years. Saleh's success in this role is the reason why he was eventually hired by the Jets to turn around their franchise.
Despite his lack of success record-wise in New York, Saleh rebuilt the Jets' defense into an elite group. In his first year, the Jets' ranked last in total defense. Last season, they were the third-best unit in the entire NFL.
While Saleh was coaching the Jets, Jeff Hafley was serving as the head coach at Boston College from 2020-2023. Hafley compiled a record of 22-26 with his best season coming in his final one in Chestnut Hill.
This is Hafley's first season as the Packers' defensive coordinator. So far this year Green Bay ranks 15th in yard given up per game and are 10th in points allowed at 20.4 per contest. The Packers sit at 5-2 overall, third in the vaunted NFC North.
Looking ahead, the youngest team in the NFL has some huge matchups coming up. The first, at home against the NFC leading Detroit Lions on November 3rd, followed by a trip to Chicago. With the franchise currently riding on a three-game win streak heading into a matchup against Jacksonville, the vibes appear to be high for a team on the rise.
