The Green Bay Packers decided against making any major major changes to their front-office and coaching staff this offseason. Despite two of the most senior Packers writers, Tom Silverstein and Bill Huber, calling for an end to head coach, Matt LaFleur’s time with the organization, both he and general manager Brian Gutekunst’s contracts were extended last month.
The team has had to deal with coaching staff changes, as former defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley looked to bring multiple members of the staff with him as he starts his own head coaching journey as the main man with the Miami Dolphins.
Most critically, former Packers linebackers coach, Sean Duggan, has moved down to South Florida to become the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator under Hafley.
However, perhaps the one member of the coaching staff whom Green Bay fans universally wanted to depart the franchise is special teams coordinator, Rich Bisaccia.
The Packers had one of the worst special teams units in the NFL prior to Bisaccia’s arrival in 2023, and since then have not gotten much better.
Kicker Brandon McManus missed two field goals and an extra point in the Packers’ playoff loss to the Chicago Bears, who came back from a 21-3 half-time deficit to win the game 31-27.
Gutekunst Retains Optimism With Special Teams Unit
Yet, despite criticism from fans and the press, speaking to the media on Wednesday Gutekunst alluded to the fact that Bisaccia will remain with the team, at least in 2026.
Despite general discontent from the fanbase about where the team has been at on special teams over the past few years, Gutekunst seemed content that the team is still moving in an upwards trajectory in the key third phase of the game.
“Over the past four or five years we’ve probably put more emphasis on it [special teams] than we ever have…When Rich got here the way I think about him and the faith that I have in him…And [since Bissacia’s arrival] we’ve improved, we’ve gotten a lot better. So I have a lot of faith in Rich and what we’re doing there.” Gutekunst said to the media.
Packers GM Not Concerned With Special Teams Hiccup In Playoffs
The GM also briefly mentioned the Wild Card round issues on special teams, and whilst noting the team needed to do better in those types of high-pressure scenarios, seemed to play it off more as a single-game anomaly than a continuing, pressing issue in Green Bay.
“That last game obviously we missed some kicks – Brandon had made 32 straight [extra points] going into that game, so we certainly didn’t see that coming. But we’ve got to be better in those situations.”
But Gutekunst – who has been the top front-office executive in Green Bay since taking for the late Ted Thompson back in 2018 – failed to address McManus’ unimpressive field goal percentage across the regular season, which saw him drop to his lowest level (80.0%) since 2018.
The Packers also saw their return game take a step back in 2025, with All-Pro returner Keisean Nixon moving to full-time starting cornerback.
Gutekunst could be right on this one, but if Green Bay is to turn into a team that is elite in all phases of the game, some changes will need to be made to that specific unit in the offseason.
Packers GM Drops Big Hint On Future of Much-Maligned Coordinator