The Pittsburgh Steelers have requested an interview with Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network . Hafley had been a head coach at Boston College before taking the Green Bay job. That's their seventh interview request; six are sitting NFL DCs.
Hafley is a rising candidate in this year's coaching carousel. Hafley completed an interview with the Dolphins for their head coaching vacancy on Tuesday. He's the betting favorite to land the Miami job.
Hafley was the head coach at Boston College for four seasons (2020-23), leading the Eagles to bowl eligibility in three of the four years. Hafley has been the Packers' defensive coordinator for the last two seasons.
Before his time at BC, he spent the 2019 season as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ohio State. He was the San Francisco 49ers defensive backs coach from 2016-2018 and the Cleveland Browns defensive backs coach from 2014-2015. Hafley also spent five years at Pitt from 2006-2010.
The Steelers have plucked three relatively unknown defensive coordinators and watched them grow into the best head coaches in the franchise's history. After longtime leader Mike Tomlin resigned on Tuesday, Steelers president Art Rooney II isn't pigeonholing his head coaching search to fit the same criteria.
"For now, I don't wanna sort of put any real parameters around it," Rooney said during a press conference on Wednesday. "We're gonna be an open book in terms of who we look for and the list that we build. Can I sign up for another Chuck Noll or another Bill Cowher or another Mike Tomlin? Sure. Somebody that we feel fits that mold would be great, but, for now, we're not gonna narrow the box too much."
Hafley is the seventh reported candidate the Steelers have reached out to interview — joining Los Angeles Rams passing coordinator Nate Scheelhaase , Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula , Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver , Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores , Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero .
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Request to Interview Packers Defensive Mastermind
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