Green Bay Packers Add 49ers Veteran Secondary Coach To Defensive Staff
The Green Bay Packers are continuing their defensive coaching overhaul under new coordinator Jonathan Gannon, adding another experienced and respected coach to the mix. According to reports, the Packers are hiring former San Francisco 49ers assistant Daniel Bullocks to coach in their secondary.
Green Bay Packers Staff Getting A Makeover
This move follows several other significant changes on the defensive side of the ball, including the departure of defensive pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley and linebackers coach Sean Duggan. By bringing in Bullocks, Green Bay adds a coach with a proven track record of developing talent and contributing to championship-caliber defenses. For a team looking to rebuild its defensive identity, this hire is another crucial piece of the puzzle.
Who is Daniel Bullocks?
Daniel Bullocks is a former NFL player who has successfully transitioned into a long and respected coaching career. A second-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2006, Bullocks played safety for three seasons before injuries cut his playing career short.
He began his coaching journey in the college ranks before breaking into the NFL in 2016 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2017, he joined Kyle Shanahan’s inaugural staff with the San Francisco 49ers and has been a fixture there for the past nine seasons.
His roles with the 49ers included:
- Assistant Defensive Backs Coach (2017-2018)
- Safeties Coach (2019-2022)
- Defensive Backs Coach (2023-2025)
Bullocks was a rising star on the 49ers’ staff, even interviewing for their vacant defensive coordinator position in 2024. His deep involvement with a consistently elite NFC team makes him a valuable addition to the Green Bay Packers defense.
A Proven Developer of Talent
The most exciting aspect of the hire is his history of player development. During his tenure in San Francisco, Bullocks was instrumental in coaching up a secondary that helped lead the team to two Super Bowl appearances and multiple NFC Championship games.
He earned a reputation as an excellent teacher who could get the most out of his players, both high draft picks and unheralded prospects. Under his guidance, safety Talanoa Hufanga became a First-Team All-Pro in 2022, and cornerback Charvarius Ward earned Pro Bowl honors in 2023. He also coached Hall of Fame cornerback Richard Sherman during his All-Pro season in 2019.
Players who have worked with Bullocks speak highly of his detailed approach. He is known for providing his players with “teach tapes”—curated clips of veteran players executing techniques at a high level—to accelerate their learning curve. This method of preparation helped the 49ers consistently produce ball-hawking secondaries. In 2023, his unit tied for the league lead with 22 interceptions.
Former 49ers safety Tashaun Gipson credited Bullocks as “one of the best coaches, if not the best defensive backs coach I’ve been around in my career.” This level of respect from veteran players underscores his ability to connect and communicate effectively.
Clarifying Roles in the Secondary
The hiring of Bullocks adds another experienced voice to a revamped secondary coaching staff. The Packers recently hired Bobby Babich, formerly the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, to serve as their new defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach.
With Bullocks now in the fold, it is likely the Packers will split responsibilities in the defensive backfield. Given Bullocks’ extensive experience as a safeties coach and former NFL safety himself, a logical division of labor would see him focus on the safeties, while Babich works more closely with the cornerbacks. This structure allows two highly qualified coaches to provide specialized instruction to their respective position groups.
This approach gives the Packers defensive backs coaching staff depth and expertise. It ensures that every player in the secondary receives dedicated and high-level coaching tailored to their specific roles.
What This Means for the Packers Defense
Adding Daniel Bullocks is another clear sign that Matt LaFleur and Jonathan Gannon are prioritizing experience and a winning pedigree in their new defensive staff. Bullocks has spent the last nine years in a top-tier organization, learning what it takes to build and sustain a championship-level defense.
His arrival brings a fresh perspective from the successful Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which has some philosophical overlap with the LaFleur-Gannon system. He understands how to prepare a secondary to face the league’s most explosive offenses, having done so in the NFC playoffs year after year.
For a Packers defense that has talent but has struggled with consistency, a coach like Bullocks could be the key to unlocking its full potential. His focus on fundamentals, preparation, and creating turnovers aligns perfectly with the aggressive, adaptable defense Gannon wants to build in Green Bay.
