Jan. 25, 2026, 12:25 p.m. CT
Wisconsin great Jim Leonhard will not be taking the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator job. As first reported by Adam Schefter, the Packers are instead hiring former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon for the position.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Leonhard and the Packers had mutual interest. However, given that Leonhard’s Denver Broncos are still alive in the NFL playoffs, the Packers instead opted to hire Gannon, who was on the market after being fired by the Cardinals earlier this month.
Leonhard should still be one of the top names of the defensive coordinator hiring cycle. His hiring timeline could accelerate as soon as Monday, depending on how the Broncos fare in the AFC Championship game on Sunday afternoon.
Leonhard last coached at Wisconsin in 2022. He spent much of that season as the Badgers‘ interim head coach, opting to leave following Luke Fickell’s hire as full-time head coach. The top defensive coach then spent the 2023 season as an analyst at Illinois. He joined the Broncos as their defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator in 2024, then was promoted to assistant head coach in 2025.
It was only a matter of time before Leonhard took the reins of a defense, whether at the college or NFL level. His hiring process will be worth monitoring after the Broncos’ season concludes, either on Sunday or after Super Bowl LX.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion