Ex Packers Defensive Coordinator — Super Bowl 2018 — Faces Imminent Firing From Raiders, Begs for a Chance to Return to Green Bay

Las Vegas, Nevada 
What was supposed to be a fresh chapter for former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry has quickly spiraled into one of the league’s most scrutinized coaching situations of the 2025 season. With the Raiders sitting at 2–11 entering Week 14 and fielding one of the NFL’s worst defenses, Barry now finds himself squarely on the hot seat — and league insiders believe he may be the next staff member dismissed if the slide continues.

Barry arrived in Las Vegas in February 2024 with cautious optimism. After being fired by the Packers one month earlier, he was expected to help stabilize a Raiders defense searching for identity under first-year full-time head coach Antonio Pierce. Instead, the results have gone in the opposite direction. Las Vegas ranks near the bottom in nearly every major defensive category, allowing 28.5 points per game, generating just 18 sacks, and producing turnovers at the lowest rate in franchise history.

The pressure intensified after the Raiders fired their offensive coordinator and multiple assistants this fall, moves widely interpreted as attempts to stabilize the staff before addressing the defensive side. Sources inside the building say Barry has been given “multiple internal warnings,” and while Pierce publicly supports his coordinator, frustration is mounting in ownership. One league executive put it bluntly: “If they don’t win soon, Barry is the obvious next move.”

Barry’s track record in Green Bay is also resurfacing — and not in his favor. Hired in 2021 by Matt LaFleur, he oversaw units that frequently underperformed despite top-tier talent. The Packers ranked poorly in scoring defense, run defense, and takeaways, and criticism grew louder each season. Fans labeled his scheme “soft,” analysts questioned his lack of adjustments, and players occasionally expressed frustration privately. After Green Bay finished 9–8 in 2023 and collapsed late in the season, LaFleur made the decision to fire Barry in January 2024.

But in a twist unexpected even by insiders, Barry has recently praised the Packers’ resurgence under their revamped defensive staff — sparking rumors that he may be signaling interest in a future return. When asked last week about Green Bay’s top-five defensive ranking in 2025, Barry said, “That defense is no longer the unit it was when I left. Right now they’re playing at an entirely different level. They’re playing fast, physical, and connected — that’s the foundation of any truly elite defense.”
 
Those remarks raised eyebrows across the league, with some interpreting them as admiration and others as a hint that Barry feels more aligned with his former organization than his current one.

Whether intentional or not, the comments fueled speculation. Several Packers reporters noted that Barry still has strong personal relationships inside the Green Bay building, and the respect between Barry and LaFleur never fully disappeared despite the rough ending.

For now, however, Barry’s focus remains on surviving the next month in Las Vegas. With the Raiders’ season rapidly deteriorating, his job security is hanging by a thread — and unless the defense shows dramatic improvement, the next time Barry is discussed in NFL circles may be in the context of yet another coaching search.