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Jacksonville Jaguars hire former Packers coach Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator
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- Jacksonville Jaguars hire former Packers coach Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator
(This story has been updated to add new information)
The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired former Green Bay Packers linebacker coach/running game cooridnator Anthony Campanile as the team's defensive cooridnator, replacing Ryan Nielsen.
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The team made the move official late Thursday night to hire the first-time defensive coordinator.
"Anthony Campanile represents exactly what we want to be as a defensive unit and football team," said Jaguars head coach Liam Coen via a statement released by the team. "He brings an aggressive defensive mindset and a system that is adaptable to our players and allows them to play fast and physical."
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Campanile was one of four defensive coordinator candidates that interviewed with the Jaguars . The others included Los Angeles Rams defensive pass-game coordinator/assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant , Las Vegas Raiders DC Patrick Graham and Minnesota Vikings defensive pass-game cooridnator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones .
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According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein, Campanile was interviewed Tuesday and agreed to become the team's head coach Thursday night.
Silverstein also said the 49ers sought out Campanile and would have been hired as the team's defensive cooridnator had Robert Saleh accepted a job elsewhere. Additionally, he turned down an opportunity to become Penn State's defensive cooridnator after the program reportedly expressed interest to no avail.
Who is Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile?
Green Bay Packers linebackers/running game coordinator Anthony Campanile is shown during the team’s mini camp Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Campanile, 42, began his collegiate coaching career at Rutgers as a defensive assistant (2012-13) and earned multiple promotions including to tight ends coach (2013-14) and wide receivers coach (2015) before he leaped back over to the defensive side of the football with Boston College as a defensive backs coach (2016-17) and co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach (2018).
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Campanile moved on to Michigan as the team's linebackers coach in 2019 before moving on to the big leagues with the Miami Dolphins as a linebackers coach (2020-23) before moving to Green Bay in 2024 as the team's linebackers coach/running game coordinator.
Campanile helped the Packers' defense finish fourth in total points allowed and fifth in total defense. Among his unit, rookie LB Edgerrin Cooper was named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for December/January to close out the 2024 season.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 or on Bluesky @ Demetrius .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars name Packers' Anthony Campanile defensive coordinator
