Not many college coordinators would turn down the opportunity to make the jump to the NFL, but Jim Leonhard is one of them.
The Wisconsin Badgers defensive coordinator was at the top of the Green Bay Packers’ wishlist to take over the same position, but Leonhard turned the Packers down on Friday. He said it was “not the right time” to take an NFL opportunity.
#Badgers DC Jim Leonhard on turning down #Packers’ job offer: “It was me choosing UW. I want to stay at UW. I want to be at this level right now. Extremely flattered. Awesome opportunity. But it was not the right time for me to go back to the NFL.”
— Tom Oates (@TomOatesWSJ) February 6, 2021
Leonhard did interview for the job, but ultimately decided he wanted to remain with the Badgers. The school gave him his first coaching opportunity just one year after his retirement from the NFL.
Leonhard has risen rapidly through the college coaching ranks, and has even been named as a potential collegiate head coach. For now, he’s passed up on the chance to move further up, but it seems like it will only be a matter of time before he gets an opportunity he can’t turn down.
