The Jacksonville Jaguars are clicking on all cylinders. The offense has had no trouble putting points on the scoreboard, and the defense is making plays at the best possible time. Not surprisingly, the Jags have won four in a row and are in a great position to win the AFC South. Having said that, their recent success may have an unintended consequence next year.
Jacksonville ranks 11th in both points allowed and total yards. Several players, such as linebacker Devin Lloyd and pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen, have most definitely played a role. But Anthony Campanile is most definitely the architect behind the team's defensive surge. The downside is that his recent success could turn him into a hot candidate in next year's head-coaching hiring cycle.
The Jaguars could lose Anthony Campanile in the 2026 coaching cycle
Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated put together a list of potential head-coaching candidates for the 2026 cycle and included Anthony Campanile, noting that he turned an unremarkable group into a well-oiled machine in just one season. Here's the skinny.
"While the arrival of Liam Coen has transformed Jacksonville's offense and helped aid in the stabilization of Trevor Lawrence, it's been the Jaguars' defense that has made the most significant difference," Orr wrote. "Campanile has taken a talented but unproven roster and transformed it into a turnover machine, ranking third in turnovers, first in rushing yards allowed, eighth in rushing yards per attempt, and second in interceptions."
Orr continued, "Campanile, like Nick Sirianni, is from a three-generation coaching dynasty family that spans college, NFL, and high school. He's affable and disarming, and will do well in front of an owner if given the opportunity."
Keep in mind that this isn't the first time Campanile has been dubbed a coaching candidate. Early in November, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media also included him on his list, noting that he'll garner consideration if the Jaguars finish strong.
Before landing with the Jags, Campanile was the linebackers coach and run game coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. He also coached the linebackers for the Miami Dolphins from 2020 to 2023 and held the same position at Michigan in 2019.
Anthony Campanile has played a huge role in the Jaguars' success this season
After ousting Doug Pederson, the Jaguars were looking for a coach who could get the most out of Trevor Lawrence, but they also needed someone who could get the defense going. Pederson fired Mike Caldwell after 2023 and brougth Ryan Nielsen to replace him. On paper, the hire was intriguing, as the mustachioed coach had previously had success with both the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. However, he was a flop.
Right off the bat, Nielsen rubbed players the wrong way with his arrogant demeanor, and that was reflected in the Jags' underwhelming performance on the field. Last year, his defense ranked 27th in points surrendered and 31st in total yards. What's impressive about Anthony Campanile is that he's steered the ship in the right direction with virtually the same players aside from cornerback Jourdan Lewis and safety Eric Murray.
The Jags' linebacker corps is mostly the same. The only addition, albeit a meaningful one, was Dennis Gardeck, who's mostly rushed the passer from a standup position. The starting safeties, Andrew Wingard and Antonio Johnson, were brought in by the past regime. Similarly, Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, and Arik Armstead are back after a somewhat underwhelming 2024.
Simply put, Anthony Campanile has gotten the most out of a defense that underachieved in 2024. Not surprisingly, he's earning head-coaching consideration. If the Jaguars finish the season strong and make noise in the playoffs, they may have to brace themselves for the possibility of losing their defensive coordinator next year.