With the second half of the NFL season underway, all eyes are on Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Bisaccia’s unit has been under the microscope for multiple weeks due to underwhelming play, and those struggles have left Packers fans heading down the stretch with a feeling of uncertainty.
In Week 3, the Packers had their potential game-winning field goal blocked in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns, which ultimately led to a game-winning field goal made by Browns kicker Andre Szmyt. Additionally, veteran kicker Brandon McManus has not looked like the same guy that we saw in 2024 (20-of-21 on field goals vs. 11-of-16 this season), which has led fans to direct their ire towards Bisaccia.
If Green Bay’s special teams unit continues to have mishaps, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Packers move on from Bisacci. On Friday, the Las Vegas Raiders cut ties with special teams coordinator Tom McMahon following their loss on Thursday night to the Denver Broncos.
McMahon was with the Raiders for four seasons, but it didn’t protect him, as the team had two ugly special teams mistakes that hurt their chances of winning. If a two-win team can do it, who is to say that Bisaccia should be safe?
Raiders’ Special Teams Coordinator Firing Should Be Wake-Up Call for Rich Bisaccia
The Packers’ special teams haven’t been as bad as the Raiders this season, but seeing McManus continue to struggle despite having a guy like Lucas Havrisik still on the 53-man roster is puzzling.
On Friday, Bisaccia did not waver in his support of McManus, telling reporters that he’ll be the starter. If McManus falters and misses another kick on Monday night against the Eagles, the blame will not only be on the player and head coach Matt LaFleur.
Packers fans will also lay the blame at the feet of Bisaccia because they have a better kicking option and refuse to use him. If Green Bay were to part ways with Bisaccia, it would be likely at the end of the season, which is when it'll be much easier to find a replacement. At the same time, firing the 65-year-old coach could be easier since the Packers wouldn't be the first team to dismiss their special teams leader.
Therefore, if you’re Bisaccia, you've got to hope that your unit figures things out quickly because you don’t want to be the reason why this Green Bay team loses a game or two down the stretch. Another screw-up could leave the front office and head coach Matt LaFleur with no choice but to find an in-season fix, especially if it's the difference between a Super Bowl run and a first-round exit.
Packers fans saw Bisaccia's blunders emerge against the Cleveland Browns, and thankfully, that loss hasn’t come back to haunt them yet in the standings. Still, he can't give the fan base similar scares down the stretch if he wants Green Bay to reach its ceiling, giving Bisaccia more than enough reason to feel uneasy moving forward.