Getty Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia is turning things around quickly.
The Green Bay Packers have struggled with special teams for years, with seasons throughout their storied franchise being derailed due to special teams blunders. However, there’s a glimmer of hope that special teams is finally turning itself around.
After the team’s Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced that Packers veteran punter Pat O’Donnell had been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The 31-year-old punted the ball seven times, averaging 44.7 net yards per punt. According to the Packers, his O’Donnell’s seven punts inside of Tampa Bay’s 20-yard line were the most by a Green Bay punter since 1976.
The Packers had significant problems with special teams throughout last season, including a blocked punt in the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers that cost them a trip to the NFC championship game.
Green Bay hired long-time special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia this offseason, and the move appears to be having a major impact on the team’s “we-fense.”
Who is Packers Punter Pat O’Donnell?
The Packers have gone through plenty of punters over the past few seasons, including Tim Masthay, JK Scott, and Corey Bojorquez. While none of those punters blew fans away for longer than a couple of games, O’Donnell is off to a very promising start.
After medically redshirting his first season at Cincinnati in college, O’Donnell returned to rack up accolades for the rest of his college career. Over the next three seasons at Cincinnati and then his final college season with the Miami Hurricanes, O’Donnell was a two-time All-Big East pick, a first-team All-ACC selection, and a second-team All-American in 2013 after averaging an impressive 47.1 yards per punt.
O’Donnell was taken in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he played for eight seasons. While he never earned Pro Bowl recognition, O’Donnell was consistent, averaging 40.7 net punt yardage throughout his career.
So far, O’Donnell is shattering his career numbers through three games in Green Bay, averaging 45.2 net yards per punt. That is likely to drop once the temperature falls at Lambeau Field, but for the time being, the 31-year-old punter is looking like a very solid signing.
Who is Packers ST Coordinator Rich Bisaccia?
The special teams coordinator role in Green Bay has been a dangerous position for NFL coaches, with coaches being consistently put in the hot seat in that job for poor special teams play.
Bisaccia took the job to finally break the streak of poor special teams play. The 62-year-old coach has made a career out of special teams, helping with the unit for nearly 20 years in the college ranks before working with teams including the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Chargers, and Raiders.
The veteran coach finally got his first opportunity to work as a head coach last season, serving as the Raiders’ interim head coach last season following Jon Gruden’s resignation. The Raiders went 7-5 under Bisaccia despite all the chaos, even sneaking into the playoffs before falling to the Cincinnati Bengals.
With nearly four decades of special teams experience, and a strong track record of being beloved by his players, Bisaccia was the best possible hire for the Packers to turn their special teams around. So far, that move is looking like a home run, and Packers fans are hoping it’s the difference in the team making a Super Bowl run.