The Green Bay Packers will have to replace an assistant coach on Mike Pettine’s defensive staff.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers are losing defensive backs coach Jason Simmons to the Carolina Panthers.
Simmons spent the last nine years as an assistant coach in Green Bay, including the last two leading the secondary (secondary coach for Mike McCarthy in 2018, defensive backs coach for Matt LaFleur in 2019).
Simmons will join new Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who coached Simmons at Arizona State in the late 1990s.
This past season, the Packers finished third in the NFL in interceptions, fifth in passing touchdowns allowed and sixth in opposing passer rating.
A 10-year NFL veteran as a player, Simmons joined the Packers staff as a coaching administrator in 2011. He spent four years (2014-17) assisting the special teams before moving to the secondary.
Pettine could promote Ryan Downard, the assistant defensive backs coach, to replace Simmons. Quality control assistant Christian Parker assisted the secondary in 2019 and could replace Downard as the top defensive backs assistant.
Silverstein reported the Packers are “lining up candidates,” making it possible Pettine and LaFleur will pick an outside hire to replace Simmons.