Amidst a flurry of head coaching hires on Tuesday, including the Detroit Lions' hiring of Drew Petzing for the offensive coordinator position, the Miami Dolphins made a move that will have a ripple effect on the NFC North.
On Tuesday, the Dolphins hired former Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley as their newest head coach, after firing former dream Lions' OC candidate Mike McDaniel.
Hafley served as the Packers' DC for the past two seasons, after four seasons as the head coach of Boston College. Hafley's defense in Green Bay was a mixed bag. Between his first and second year, the Packers saw their takeaways drop by 17, and their rushing yards per game drop from 99.4 yards (7th) to 117.7 (18th).
The Packers' defense got worse after the injury to All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, which was the catalyst for a five-game losing streak to close out the season, including their playoff choke job against the Chicago Bears.
Hafley joins a Dolphins team looking to retool after a disappointing McDaniel era, which saw the franchise fail to win a playoff game in two appearances. The Dolphins will also be eying the QB market after its become clear the team will move on from former 2020 first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa. This is where Hafley's hire being potentially great for the Lions begins to take shape.
Packers will lose more than just Hafley
Because Hafley will also be looking for a QB, Packers back-up, and impending free agent, Malik Willis would be a name to watch. Willis has impressed in his limited opportunities behind Jordan Love, boasting a 134.6 passer rating and 78.7% completion percentage across his 11 games and three starts. Willis also averages 6.2 rushing yards per attempt across 42 attempts.
Pulling Willis away from Green Bay at the very least takes away a very strong backup QB for a division rival, and at most takes away a potential starting QB option if the Packers ever grow skeptical about Love in that role.
READ MORE: Lions' Drew Petzing hire comes with a fun anti-Bears twist fans may like
And as a former member of the Packers' coaching staff and a first-time NFL head coach, Hafley will need to fill out his own coaching staff and roster in his own image. Hafley will likely poach top and up-and-coming coaches from Matt LaFleur's staff.
Between that and a DC opening that LaFleur will already have to fill, this move could further weaken the Packers' coaching staff that's already seen continued scrutiny after that playoff loss versus the Bears.
The NFC North will also be competing against the AFC East in the 2026 season. Hafley will have familiarity with the division, but no team more so than the Packers, giving his Dolphins an extra advantage.
Hafley's hire mean Kelvin Sheppard stays in Detroit
For every coach hired, there's a good handful who lost out on the job. For the Dolphins' head coaching position, one of those candidates was Lions' DC Kelvin Sheppard. Sheppard interviewed with the Dolphins shortly before the Dolphins hired Hafley.
We have completed an interview with Kelvin Sheppard for our head coach position. pic.twitter.com/BRdB4q3hmE
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 19, 2026
Sheppard had a rocky first season leading the Lions' defense, although it could be argued that much of that wasn't his fault. The Lions were swamped with injuries, including both of their elite safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
READ MORE: Jeremy Fowler says what every Lions fan needs to hear about Drew Petzing hiring
At the same time, Sheppard's defense saw names like Al-Quadin Muhammad rise up and produce 11.0 sacks. His "Legion of Whom" defense also turned in masterful performances against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaking of the Eagles, Sheppard's defense handled their infamous "tush push" well, which is one example of the general improvements made to defending mobile QBs compared to the Aaron Glenn era.
Injuries did catch up to the Sheppard and the Lions, as the waning weeks of the season saw the wheels come off. Between Weeks 12 and 16, the Lions gave up a staggering average of 458.6 yards per game.
Sheppard's defense closed out strongly in comparison, averaging 215.5 against the Max Brosmer-led Minnesota Vikings and the division-winning Bears, stopping Caleb Williams from being the franchise's first 4,000-yard passer.
Sheppard going to the Dolphins could've freed up the Lions to hire a top defensive mind like former head coach Jim Schwartz, but there's still plenty to like about Sheppard, and he's proven he deserves another shot with a fully healthy defense. The best coaching move the Lions made in the offseason may just be the one they didn't have to make.