One of the Green Bay Packers’ most loyal servants and Brian Gutekunst’s right-hand man is moving on to a huge new opportunity. Jon-Eric Sullivan is expected to be hired as the next general manager of the Miami Dolphins.
Sullivan’s rise is a true Packers success story. He first joined the organization in 2003 as a training camp intern and was brought on full-time in 2004. Over more than two decades in Green Bay, he steadily climbed the front-office ladder — working in football operations, serving as a regional scout, becoming director of college scouting, then co-director of player personnel, and most recently vice president of player personnel, a position he’d held since 2022. In that role, he was widely regarded as one of Gutekunst’s closest collaborators and a key voice in the Packers’ roster building.
“Jon-Eric’s a huge part of our process,” Gutekunst said of Sullivan in April. “Certainly someone that I’ve worked with for a very long time and leaned on for a lot of things. He’s absolutely 100% ready to run his own show, and I think that time’s coming.”
Green Bay must prepare for a world without Sullivan, and the impact could go beyond the front-office duties he officially handled. The Dolphins will now begin their search for their next head coach, with Sullivan playing a central role in the process. The former Packers VP may look to hire someone he is familiar with and trusts, someone who aligns with his vision and approach.
That could put Jeff Hafley and Adam Stenavich on Miami’s radar for its head-coaching search. Stenavich could also be considered for the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator role as part of that process.
Jeff Hafley is expected to interview with the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals in the coming weeks. He is a strong communicator who carries himself like a head coach. With that in mind, it would be unrealistic for the Packers not to consider the possibility that their defensive coordinator could be on the move this offseason — especially if Sullivan sees an opportunity to begin his tenure in Miami by bringing in a trusted and highly respected defensive mind.
Stenavich’s case is interesting. He interviewed for the Chicago Bears’ head-coaching job last year. However, in this cycle, he doesn’t appear to be generating the same level of momentum as other offensive candidates, such as Klint Kubiak, Joe Brady, or Thomas Brown, in terms of interview requests.
Still, it would make plenty of sense for Sullivan to consider bringing Green Bay’s offensive coordinator with him as he begins his tenure in South Beach. Stenavich has worked under two of the league’s most respected offensive minds in Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur. Pairing a new quarterback — with Malik Willis naturally entering the speculation given the existing connection, or through the draft — with an offensive coach shaped by one of the most efficient systems in football over the past decade could be a smart and calculated move for Miami.
So, the Packers might need contingency plans on both sides of the ball. Offensively, it could make sense to target Mike McDaniel. Realistically, though, he may land another head-coaching job, which would force the Packers to be aggressive — and likely spend — if they want to enter that market.
If Green Bay instead chooses the internal promotion route, Sean Mannion is a name to watch. He brings NFL playing experience and has spent the past two years in LaFleur’s system as the quarterbacks coach. During that span, the Packers finished second in EPA per dropback, doing so while featuring three different starting quarterbacks. Passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable and senior assistant Luke Getsy would also be in the mix.
On the defensive side of the ball, there are some interesting names available on the market. Jonathan Gannon and Raheem Morris are two to keep an eye on. Jim Leonhard would also be a candidate who would instantly make all Wisconsinites happy.
Internally, DeMarcus Covington is an option with recent defensive coordinator experience, having held that role with the New England Patriots in 2024. That unit finished 30th in EPA per play and 27th in success rate. Derrick Ansley is another name to watch, bringing prior coordinator experience with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023, when that defense ranked 24th in EPA per play and 23rd in success rate.
The last time the Packers opened a regular season with new coordinators on both sides of the ball was 2018, when Joe Philbin and Mike Pettine replaced Edgar Bennett and Dom Capers. There is a real chance Green Bay could follow a similar path in 2026, and if that happens, they will need to strike gold with those hires. Their roster is once again positioned to be viewed as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and the margin for error at coordinator will be thin.
