Liam Coen, who now heads the Jacksonville Jaguars, has picked Anthony Campanile, formerly in charge of linebackers and run game coordination for the Green Bay Packers, to serve as the new defensive coordinator for the team.
While speaking on the decision Thursday, Coen shared that Campanile reflects the exact type of energy and direction the team wants for its defense. According to him, Campanile’s style encourages players to maintain a fast and physical presence on the field, while also allowing the system to adjust based on the squad’s strengths.
Before settling on Campanile, Coen considered several other experienced coaches. Among them were Patrick Graham, who handles defense for Las Vegas, Daronte Jones from Minnesota, who works with defensive backs and the pass game, and Aubrey Pleasant, currently with the Los Angeles Rams as a pass game coordinator and assistant head coach.
NFL Coaching Experience and Defensive Results
Now aged 42, Campanile has built a solid coaching foundation with five straight seasons in the NFL. He began his professional coaching journey with the Miami Dolphins, where he handled linebacker duties from 2020 to 2023. He later took on a similar role with Green Bay for the 2024 season.
During this recent season, the Packers held their ground as one of the league’s better defenses against the run, allowing just 99.4 yards per game. That put them in seventh place league-wide. They also held teams to an average of just 4.0 yards per carry, placing them third in that category.
Back when he was with the Dolphins, the defense was strong against the run as well, giving up only 106.4 rushing yards per game, which was among the top six teams, and 4.2 yards per carry, placing them 10th during his four-year stay.
Coaching Journey from High School to the NFL
Before his NFL break, Campanile had already put in strong work at different levels of the sport. He started off in New Jersey, coaching high school football for six seasons.
He spent five of those years at Don Bosco Prep, where he led both the offensive and defensive units during his time, three years on defense and two on offense. That experience eventually helped him secure a spot with Rutgers in 2012 as a defensive assistant.
At Rutgers, he expanded his portfolio by also coaching tight ends and wide receivers over the next four seasons. After that, he went on to work with Boston College between 2016 and 2018. He then joined Michigan’s coaching staff for a single season before Brian Flores brought him over to Miami.
