Jonathan Gannon, the new defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, will not carry a set scheme from his previous roles. Instead, he plans to tailor his defensive strategy to fit the strengths of his players.
Key points
Jonathan Gannon is the new defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.
He plans to build a defense based on player strengths.
Gannon previously served as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
He was also the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mentioned in this story
Jonathan Gannon
Green Bay PackersPhiladelphia EaglesArizona Cardinals
GREEN BAY â When Jonathan Gannon interviewed with Matt LaFleur about the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator vacancy, he repeated a philosophy heâs carried since his days as the Philadelphia Eagles coordinator.
Back in 2021, Gannon told Eagles coach Nick Sirianni he didnât have a specific scheme for the new defense. Rather, he planned to build his scheme around the strengths of his players. Gannonâs approach did not change when he became the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
âHe probably laughed,â Gannon said of Sirianni, âand said, âYou better get one.ââ
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon meets with the media May 4 at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon meets with the media May 4 at Lambeau Field.
Five years later, Gannon hasnât settled into one scheme. He let LaFleur know the same before being hired as the Packers coordinator.
âThe point is the game adapts,â Gannon said. âI donât really get caught up in the 4-3, 3-4. Weâre an NFL-style defense, hopefully. I just believe youâve got to continually, every year, try to adapt and solve problems, and really with your guys in mind. So this is a whole new crew for me that weâre just getting to learn, all new different players, so thatâs kind of what I mean by that.
âYeah, thereâs some principles, thereâs some things I like to do â but itâs only if our players can do it. I told them the other day, if weâre not good at this, just because I like it, weâre not going to do it.â
Q&A
What is Jonathan Gannon's approach to defensive schemes?
Jonathan Gannon's approach involves building his defensive scheme around the strengths of his players rather than adhering to a specific pre-defined scheme.
Why didn't Gannon bring a specific scheme to the Packers?
Gannon believes that adapting the defense to the players' strengths is more effective than sticking to a rigid scheme.
What was Gannon's previous role before joining the Packers?
Before joining the Packers, Jonathan Gannon served as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and was previously the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles.
How did Matt LaFleur respond to Gannon's interview philosophy?
During the interview, Gannon reiterated his philosophy of not having a specific scheme, which aligns with his previous approach in Philadelphia.
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Gannon said his belief in not having a specific scheme meant waiting until after meeting with players before he started to develop the Packers defensive playbook. He expects to build the playbook over time, pulling from many different places.
âI told the players this,â Gannon said, âI said, âThis is going to be a little different for them.â Because as weâre teaching them things, theyâre going to see tape of Philly, Minnesota, Arizona, Green Bay, San Francisco, Buffalo, Alabama, Georgia. I donât really get caught up in, if you said, âThis is my playbook, hereâs what weâre going to run,â what I said to you guys earlier is full of you-know-what. Because youâre really not adapting your scheme to the players you have. This is just what we do. Well, if this guy canât do that, what are you going to do? Weâre just going to do that. That doesnât make sense to me.
âSo it really is the truth when I tell you guys this is going to be a new system this year. Itâs the 2026 Green Bay Packers.â
Even though the 2026 Packers will have a new coordinator, the philosophy appears similar to how predecessor Jeff Hafley approached the job. Gannon echoed Hafley in stressing play style over scheme.
âBefore scheme,â Gannon said, âI truly believe itâs not what you play, itâs how you play. That goes into, Matt calls it play style. I love that. So thatâs been cool for our guys defining that for them, hereâs your expectation, hereâs what youâre accountable for. Weâre all accountable for it. Because I think thatâs what a good defense looks like, a fast, violent, physical team thatâs taking the ball away.â
The Green Bay Packers made six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft with Brandon Cisse of the South Carolina Gamecocks their first pick in the second round.
Scroll through this gallery for info on the players part of the Packers' 2026 draft class.
Brandon Cisse, cornerback, South Carolina, second round round (52nd overall)
Chris McClellan, defensive tackle, Missouri, third round (77th overall)
Chris McClellan played the final two years of his college career at Missouri after two years at Florida.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, edge rusher, Penn State, fourth round (120th overall)
Dani Dennis-Sutton spent his entire four-year college career at Penn State.
