National Football League

Packers hire Boston College coach Jeff Hafley as new defensive coordinator

Updated Jan. 31, 2024 10:16 p.m. ET

The Green Bay Packers have hired former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley to their defensive coordinator position.

The Packers announced Wednesday night that Hafley will take over for Joe Barry, who was fired last week after three seasons as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. Hafley went 22-26 at Boston College in four seasons, including a 7-6 mark this past season with a Fenway Victory Bowl over SMU.

"I loved my four years at Boston College," Hafley said in a statement released by the school. "This is an exceptional place to coach given the caliber of student-athletes we recruit, the facilities and the support from the University and BC fans. I will miss the players who gave so much of themselves these past four years, and my wife Gina and I will certainly miss the BC community and the many friends we have made here."

Hafley, who latched on with the Eagles in 2020, guided his troupe to three Bowl-eligible seasons in four years. The 44-year-old spent one season as Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator before becoming Boston College's head coach. He has eight years of experience in the NFL coaching ranks, serving as the defensive backs coach for Cleveland and San Francisco in the 2010s.

His move also reopens the coaching carousel, giving Boston College the only vacancy of any Football Bowl Subdivision program.

"Jeff has had success at every stop of his coaching career with an impressive track record of developing players at every level," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in a statement announcing the hire. "We look forward to him leading our defense."

Green Bay ranked 10th in points allowed per game (20.6), 17th in yards allowed per game (335.1) and 23rd in yards allowed per play (5.4) during the regular season with a defense featuring eight former first-round draft picks.

After the Packers allowed 29.3 points per game during a 1-2 December stretch against the New York Giants, Tampa Bay and Carolina, their defense performed much better the rest of the season.

The Packers allowed just one touchdown over their final two regular-season games, and that came when Minnesota recovered a muffed punt at the Green Bay 7-yard line. The Packers then held Dallas scoreless until the final play of the first half in a 48-32 wild-card victory.

Green Bay’s season ended with a 24-21 NFC divisional playoff loss at San Francisco in which the 49ers drove 69 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:07 remaining.

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Hafley had mixed results at Boston College.

After firing Steve Addazio because he couldn’t get beyond seven wins in his seven seasons in Chestnut Hill, BC lured Hafley away from Ohio State — even as the Buckeyes were preparing for the College Football Playoff.

But Hafley managed six wins in each of his first two seasons as he tried to adjust to his new environment in the midst of a pandemic.

The Eagles were arguably the most successful team in the country at managing the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, with just one positive test all season, and that in the final week. But the players opted out of a bowl game to spend Christmas with their families; in 2021, a COVID outbreak forced the cancellation of the Military Bowl.

BC went 3-9 in 2022, a season beset by injuries and the same quarterback shuffling that characterized much of Hafley’s tenure in the Heights. When the Eagles opened this season 1-3, Hafley’s job was in jeopardy; five straight wins earned them another bowl berth.

Boston College athletic director Blake James said in a statement that "we are incredibly grateful" for Hafley’s years of service and a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.