The Green Bay Packers have heard a vote of confidence in rookie kicker Trey Smack from special teams coordinator Cam Achord despite his ongoing struggles.
Achord, who previously served as the New England Patriots‘ special teams coordinator for four years under Bill Belichick, said on Tuesday that he isn’t worried about Smack losing confidence after a series of missed kicks.
The remarks surfaced on the heels of Smack missing his eighth kick of the season during the Packers’ 27-19 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Achord also talked about a big mistake by kick returner Coleman Owen, who fumbled the opening kickoff against Carolina.
Packers’ Cam Achord Backs Trey Smack Amid Kicking Struggles
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported Achord’s comments Tuesday, revealing that the special teams coordinator isn’t bothered about Smack getting into his own head following repeated misses.
“I think that’s why we picked him,” Achord said.
“I think that’s why we picked him.”
Also, Achord on Coleman Owen’s fumbled kickoff, he said they approach it like “you’ve got the fate of the team when the ball’s
The statement suggests Green Bay still believes in Smack’s ability to overcome adversity despite a challenging start to his NFL career.
The former Florida standout has converted 11 of 16 field-goal attempts through eight games, giving him a 68.8% success rate.
Smack has also made 16 of 19 extra-point attempts, bringing his combined total to eight missed kicks this season.
His most recent miss came against Carolina when he hit the left upright on an extra-point attempt following a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Tucker Kraft in the first quarter.
Smack converted his remaining three extra-point attempts during the victory.
The performance followed a difficult outing against the Detroit Lions on Oct. 25.
Smack missed two field-goal attempts in Green Bay’s 20-17 defeat, including a 26-yard attempt and a 35-yard attempt that was blocked.
The rookie finished 1-for-3 on field goals that afternoon.
The problem is, the Packers have given away draft capital to bring in Smack. Green Bay traded two seventh-round selections to the Seattle Seahawks to acquire the No. 216 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, using it to select the former Gators kicker.
Smack showed off huge potential during his college career, converting 82.8% of his field-goal attempts and 100 of 101 extra points.
Cam Achord Addresses Coleman Owen’s Costly Packers Fumble
Smack wasn’t the only Packers special teams player to make a vital mistake against Carolina.
Owen fumbled the opening kickoff, allowing the Panthers to recover the football at Green Bay’s 29-yard line.
Carolina capitalized on the turnover with a 39-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald, taking an early 3-0 lead.
Achord also addressed Owen’s fumble during his Tuesday remarks, explaining the level of responsibility the Packers place on players handling returns.
“You’ve got the fate of the team when the ball’s in your hands,” Achord said, describing the team’s approach.
The message underscores the importance of ball security for a Packers unit that has struggled with mistakes this season.
Owen joined Green Bay’s practice squad Sept. 30 before earning a promotion to the 53-man roster on Oct. 24.
The former Ohio University standout has primarily contributed as a return specialist since joining the organization.
Despite the special teams miscues against Carolina, Green Bay moved to 5-3 with its victory.
The Packers will look to avoid similar mistakes when they visit the Patriots on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Packers Have No Qualms About ST Issues Ahead of Patriots Game