The Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers will have some familiarity on their coaching staff when they face each other at Lambeau Field during the 2024 season, courtesy of a swap of defensive coaches.
No, it wasn’t a trade, but the fact is that the Dolphins’ new run game coordinator/linebackers coach, Joe Barry, came from the Packers and new Packers linebackers coach Anthony Campanile spent the past four seasons with the Dolphins.
Each team has a new defensive coordinator this year — Anthony Weaver in Miami and Jeff Hafley in Green Bay and both of them had long wanted to work with Barry and Campanile.
“Joe Barry, obviously, is a tremendous football coach,” Weaver said of Barry, who was the Packers defensive coordinator the past three seasons before head coach Matt LaFleur fired him in the aftermath of their divisional playoff loss at San Francisco. “Back in 2021 when I left Houston, me and Joe spent a lot of time conversating about the potential of joining up with the Chargers under Brandon Staley. That didn’t come to fruition, but through those conversations, we formed a friendship.
“Over the years, we’ve always kind of kept in touch, and then through mutual friends, I’ve obviously heard nothing but incredible things about him. So to add him to our staff with his wisdom and intellect and knowledge is a tremendous win for us as a team and then for me individually, as a guy that’s just been in it and most recently calling it.”
In Barry’s three seasons as Packers DC, Green Bay ranked ninth, 17th and 17th in total defense.
LaFleur explained the decision to move on from Barry at Hafley’s introductory press conference.
“There’s a lot of thought and deliberation that goes into that,” LaFleur said. “You guys know how I feel about Joe Barry. I’m so thankful for our time together. I’ve got so much respect for him as a man and as a coach, and what he was able to do for us. Those are tough decisions, but I think as a head football coach, sometimes you’ve got to make some tough decisions in terms of what you think you need to do moving forward to put your team in the best possible position.
