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Cardinals request 2nd interview with Packers DC Jeff Hafley

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 10:38 PM ET

GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals have their first second interview with a candidate for their vacant head coaching gig. General manager Monti Ossenfort and his team have reportedly met with over a dozen coaches across the league to be the franchise’s next head coach in 2026. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cardinals are meeting with a defensive coordinator for a second interview in Green Bay Packers’ Jeff Hafley.

Pelissero continued to say that Hafley is a heavy favorite to take the Miami Dolphins head coaching job, but it isn’t officially as of Saturday.

Why Hafley is getting a second interview with the Cardinals:

Despite having limited NFL coaching experience. Hafley has been coaching football since 2001. The 46-year-old started as the running backs coach with Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Despite starting as an offensive coach, his collegiate coaching career would shift to defensively for the next decade with Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. He got his reps as a defensive back coach with all the three programs, which gave him his first professional job opportunity with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He remained in the NFL for the next seven season across three teams as a defensive backs coach. Hafley would return to college in 2019 as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator before leaving the following season for his first head coaching job with Boston College. Hafley went 22-26 in college before Packers head coach Matt LaFleur offered him the defensive coordinator job.

Despite technically only having one season with the defensive coordinator title, Hafley’s 24-year of experience quickly turned Green Bay into a powerhouse. In his first year, the Packers were fifth in yards and sixth in points allowed per game. In 2025, there was a slight step back, but the defense remains nearly top 10 in both categories.

The Cardinals were 29th in points allowed last season, and Hafley has results to prove that he can fix that problem. Miami remains as the likely landing spot for Hafley, but that hasn’t stopped Arizona from bringing him back for a second interview and continuing its pursuit.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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