Packers hire Rich Bisaccia as special teams coordinator

Former interim Raiders head coach takes command of one of the worst special teams units in the entire NFL

GREEN BAY — The Green Bay Packers They will finally have an experienced coach leading their special teams. Veteran special teams coordinator expected to be hired Rich Bisaccia, who most recently served as the interim head coach of las vegas raiders.

A source said Monday that an announcement is expected soon, once some details are finalized. NFL Network first reported the expected signing of bisaccia for the packers.

It will be the third different person in coordinator of the special teams of the packers in the same number of campaigns, but the first with experience of NFL doing it. bisaccia was in his 20th season as special teams coordinator in the NFL when the raiders named him their interim coach after the resignation of Jon Gruden during 2021.

He joined the raiders in 2018 after previously managing the special teams of the Dallas Cowboys (2013-17), San Diego Chargers (2011-12) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-10). The 61-year-old coach also has 19 years of experience at the collegiate level, before coming to the NFL.

bisaccia will replace Maurice Drayton, who was fired last week after the disastrous performance of the packers on special teams in the defeat of the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers. units of Drayton they had a blocked punt and field goal attempt, the first returned for a touchdown. The packers they became the first team in 33 years to have a punt and field goal blocked in the same playoff game.

The postseason game was not an anomaly. The special teams of packers They ranked No. 31 in the Football Power Rankings from ESPN, and last in Rick Gosselin’s well-known special teams rankings. Drayton was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2021 after serving two years as an assistant to Shawn Menenga, whose units were located No. 26 and No. 29. None had been coordinator of special teams in the NFL before arriving at Green Bay.

The problem of special equipment packers is not exclusive to the mandate of matt lafleur. Going back to the beginning of the mandate of mike mccarthy as head coach in 2006, the packers they have placed in the Top-10 on special teams only once (2007). In that span, they have finished in the top half of the special teams rankings only four times; most recently, 16th place in 2017. In the same period, special teams from bisaccia they have six Top-10 placements, in addition to a No. 11 last season.

LaFleur admitted at the end of the season that a change of coaches might not be the only fix needed for the special teams of the packers.

“Just one thing that sticks with me, just watching that game again, San Francisco I had a lot of starters on special teams,” offered LaFleur. “That’s going to be something I want to look at around the league, and see how many teams operate that way. Again, is there any inherent risk? Absolutely.”

bisaccia interviewed for the permanent head coaching position of the raiders which in the end was for Josh McDaniels, even after the quarterback Derek Carr was among the players who threw public support for the interim coach. bisaccia went 7-5 after he quit Gruden, and the raiders (10-7 overall) made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.