Early in the 2025 season, Jacksonville Jaguars first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has quickly ascended the ranks as a desirable candidate in the upcoming hiring cycle. However, that plan may have died on the vine following the team’s 35-7 Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, at least for now.
The Jaguars had no answers for quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams, which normally isn’t grounds for concern, considering they’re a high-octane group. Nevertheless, Los Angeles was notably without its offensive centerpiece, star wide receiver Puka Nacua, who sat out due to an ankle issue. Just like that, any goodwill Campanile has been building with rival NFL front offices was left in London.
Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile is quickly falling out of 2026 hiring cycle
A Jaguars club that paced the league in the takeaways entering their blowout defeat against the Rams recorded zero turnovers for a second consecutive contest. Uncoincidentally, Jacksonville has dropped both games to fall to 4-3.
In other words, the Jags are living and dying by the sword that is Campanile’s aggressiveness. When it works, things look good, and you can see why other squads would want to pry him away from Duval County this coming offseason. Conversely, his relentless play-calling style leaves Jacksonville vulnerable when they can’t force mistakes.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic recently named Campanile (subscription required) as a name she’ll be “keeping [her] eye on if and when other [head coaching] openings arise. Moreover, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler labeled the mastermind of Jacksonville’s surprisingly plucky stop unit as a “sleeper candidate” for an external promotion following the 2025 campaign. Yet, the Rams reminded everyone it might be best to pump the brakes on a rising but still inexperienced leader.
Matthew Stafford took zero sacks en route to completing 21 of 33 passes for five touchdowns versus Jacksonville. He and the Rams looked comfortable and had no trouble moving the ball down the field and capitalizing on opportunities, specifically in the red zone. A glaring lack of disruption allowed Los Angeles to walk all over the Jags.
Not to discredit what Anthony Campanile and the Jags have done, but Interceptions and fumbles are largely flukey and unpredictable. There’s hardly any year-over-year correlation, let alone week-over-week sustainability. Relying on it isn’t a sensible recipe for success, which Jacksonville is learning the hard way and other franchises are realizing in real time.