Why Jonathan Gannon didn’t carry set scheme with him to Green Bay
New Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon expects to build the playbook over time, pulling from many different places.
GREEN BAY – When Jonathan Gannon interviewed with Matt LaFleur about the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator vacancy, he repeated a philosophy he’s carried since his days as the Philadelphia Eagles coordinator. Back in 2021, Gannon told Eagles coach Nick Sirianni he didn’t have a specific scheme for the new defense. Rather, he planned to build his scheme around the strengths of his players.
Gannon’s approach did not change when he became the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals . “He probably laughed,” Gannon said of Sirianni, “and said, ‘You better get one. ’” Five years later, Gannon hasn’t settled into one scheme.
He let LaFleur know the same before being hired as the Packers coordinator. “The point is the game adapts,” Gannon said. “I don’t really get caught up in the 4-3, 3-4.
We’re an NFL-style defense, hopefully. I just believe you’ve 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 we’re just getting to learn, all new different players, so that’s kind of what I mean by that.