Wisconsin fans know well the annual end-of-season rumors that link defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to open coaching jobs both in college and in the NFL.
Most of it was just rumors, though, until today when ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that the Green Bay Packers are set to interview Leonhard in the coming days for their opening at defensive coordinator.
Big couple days of interviews set in the Packers’ search for a new defensive coordinator: https://t.co/KgV645RcaG pic.twitter.com/yD6uY43Fi2
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) February 2, 2021
There can be some irony found in this news coming on groundhog day, but something about this report feels a bit different than those from years prior.
Related: Wisconsin’s Jim Leonhard named by PackersWire as a possible candidate for their opening at DC
First, it’s the in-state Packers which wouldn’t give him much of a change of scenery.
Second, Leonhard is actually interviewing for the job. Even if he isn’t hired or doesn’t choose to leave, this is an early indication that moving up in the football world is on his mind and of some interest.
For Packer fans, this would be a slam-dunk hire and would set the defense up for success for years to come. For Badger fans, this would be an unbearable loss–especially given what the defense has meant to the team in recent years.
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