When Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur took over the green and gold in 2019, he retained Mike McCarthy-era coordinator Mike Pettine, who lasted two years in the role before his contract was allowed to expire following the Packers’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. LaFleur’s first choice to replace Pettine was then-Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who turned down the opportunity to stick with the Badgers.
Leonhard sticking at the college level looked like a solid decision this year when Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst was let go and Leonhard was made interim head coach for the remainder of the season.