The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense was a completely different unit in 2025—and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile is the man behind the transformation. After a tough 2024 season under former DC Ryan Nielsen, Campanile stepped in and built a defense that became the league's No. 1 run-stopping unit. Now, with the 2026 season on the horizon, Campanile is focused on taking that toughness even further.

In a recent appearance on the O-Zone Podcast, Campanile opened up about how he shaped the Jaguars' defensive identity and instilled a relentless, physical mindset in his players. The key, he says, was creating a culture where every player buys into the system—and that starts with continuity.

While the Jaguars did lose standout linebacker Devin Lloyd after his breakout 2025 campaign, the bulk of the defense is returning. For Campanile, that's a game-changer. "That's been nice, and I think the best part of that is the continuity, the amount of guys that are back," he explained. "You kind of feel like you're working with the same unit. ... The majority of the defense is back. So just being able to hit the ground running and having a foundation underneath so many of these guys has been really, really fun, because you're kind of getting into much more of the specifics at this point, even in phase one."

With so many players already familiar with his scheme, Campanile can dive deep into the finer details from day one—no need to waste time re-teaching the basics. He also credited his coaching staff and analytics team for helping the defense stay on track, identifying both strengths and areas for growth.

"You look at that, and you really are able to kind of pull it all apart, rip it down to the studs, and say, all right, well, where can we improve this?" Campanile said. "And I think most of the time it never leads to wholesale change, but it definitely puts you down the path of some great ideas."

For Jaguars fans, the message is clear: this defense isn't just reloading—it's refining. With Campanile at the helm and a core group that knows exactly what it takes, Jacksonville is building something that's tough, smart, and ready to compete at the highest level.