Few people know Jim Leonhard’s football journey better than Mike Pettine. The two first worked together with the New York Jets for three seasons before reuniting in both Buffalo and Cleveland, giving Pettine a front-row seat to Leonhard’s evolution from one of the NFL’s smartest players into one of its brightest defensive minds.

With Leonhard now leading an NFL defense, I caught up with Pettine via his foundation to discuss what made him special as a player, how those same traits translate to coaching, and why he always believed Leonhard was destined for the sideline. The Q&A was conducted via email.

Question: Looking back, what stood out most about Jim Leonhard as a player that fans may not have fully appreciated?

Mike Pettine: His ability to not just understand his own job, but the entire defense. You’ll often have talented players who struggle to process information quickly. As a coach, you never want to be limited by your slowest learners, so you put the learning of several in the hands of a few. Jim was the ultimate “thinking buddy” on every defense he played on. He enabled others to play fast without being burdened by the mental side of the game.

Question: How did his football intelligence show up on a daily basis?

Mike Pettine: It was built into the way he played. Jim was obviously a good athlete—he played three sports in high school and was even a slam dunk champion—but he didn’t have elite NFL physical traits. What separated him was his anticipation. He’d get to the football before everyone else because of his football IQ. He recognized down-and-distance tendencies, formation tells and all those little clues before the snap.

Question: Did you see signs back then that he would eventually become a defensive coordinator?

Mike Pettine: Without a doubt. I remember one Saturday night team meal in Cleveland where Jim was putting together his all-time teammates list—Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jonathan Ogden, LaDainian Tomlinson, Peyton Manning, Jason Taylor, Joe Thomas and others. I asked him who he’d want as his defensive coordinator. He looked at me and said, “Myself.” Then he joked that Rex and I could be his quality control coaches. That’s when I knew for sure.

Question: What made him such an extension of the coaching staff on the field?

Mike Pettine: He always understood the why behind every call. Most players know what they’re supposed to do, but they don’t always understand why a call is being made—what it’s designed to defend, what personnel it’s built for or what game situation it’s anticipating. Jim always understood the why. He was also one of the few players I’ve coached who could give outstanding feedback from a player’s perspective.

Question: How did he communicate with teammates and help get everyone aligned before the snap?

Mike Pettine: He’d do it one of two ways. Verbally whenever possible, but when the crowd got too loud, Jim was excellent at discreetly signaling information so everyone stayed on the same page.

Question: How do you think his playing style has influenced the way he coaches defense today?

Mike Pettine: It was a natural progression because his game was built on maximizing his physical ability with an elite football IQ. He understood from experience that information gathered before the snap is often the difference between making a play or not. I think he’ll be an aggressive play-caller because he played in a lot of high-pressure defensive systems that were all designed to speed up quarterbacks and force mistakes.

Question: What separates Jim from other young defensive coaches around the league?

Mike Pettine: His football IQ. He’s been using it at such a high level since he was a player, so in many ways he has far more real-life experience than most coaches his age.

Question: If you were hiring a defensive coordinator today, what qualities would give you confidence in someone like Jim Leonhard?

Mike Pettine: His A+ character, his passion for the game, his competitiveness, his mental toughness, his confidence and his ability to communicate complex concepts in simple terms. I’ll be surprised if Jim doesn’t thrive in Buffalo as the defensive coordinator.

Question: When you got to Buffalo in 2013, the Bills were running a 4-3 defense, and you switched them—correct me if I’m wrong—to more of a 3-4. I remember wondering if it would take a year for the scheme to really take hold, but instead the defense set a franchise record for sacks and took a major step forward from 2012. Jim Leonhard is walking into a similar situation in Buffalo, with the Bills transitioning from a 4-3 to a 3-4. How difficult is that kind of change, and why do you think your defense was able to make it work so quickly?

Mike Pettine: It’s not as difficult as it once was. The 4-3 and 3-4 are really just base defense configurations—what you’d play on early downs against offenses with two wide receivers or fewer. Nowadays, most teams only use those looks against heavier personnel groupings, like a fullback or three tight ends. Nickel, with five defensive backs, has become everyone’s primary package.

The transition really comes down to your personnel. We played a “3-4” in 2013, but we certainly weren’t dropping Mario Williams into coverage like you would in a traditional 3-4. It simply gave us the flexibility to put five defenders on the line of scrimmage instead of four, and it made us less predictable for offenses.

We were successful mostly because of the core that was already in place, along with additions like Jim Leonhard, Jerry Hughes, Manny Lawson, and Kiko Alonso. It was a smart group that loved football and played hard. It remains one of my favorite defensive units I’ve ever been a part of.

Thanks again to Mike Pettine for taking the time to share his thoughts and memories about Jim Leonhard.

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Joe from Queens

Q&A with Mike Pettine about Jim Leonhard