One of the bigger coaching shakeups the Green Bay Packers made in the 2026 offseason was parting ways with special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia. While the move came as a surprise, it was a needed change considering how much Green Bay's special teams unit struggled in the 2025 season. The issues went deeper than Brandon McManus' implosion and missing three kicks during a playoff collapse.
Green Bay struggled to tackle consistently and had issues with penalties in all phases of special teams play. This, in part, led Bisaccia to walk away, and is seemingly leading to a predictable next chapter for the former Green Bay coach. According to Woelfel's Press Box, Gery Woelfel, it seems that Bisaccia is set to return to the college game.
""I’m hearing Rich Bisaccia has had serious talks about joining the Clemson University football program.Gery Woelfel
Bisaccia recently surprised the Packers by deciding to leave the team as its assistant head coach/special teams coordinator.
Bisaccia is quite familiar with Clemson, serving as the team’s running backs/special teams coach from 1994-1998.
Bisaccia, 65. is also a friend of Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.""
Considering how many NFL coaching staffs were already filled out when Bisaccia opted to walk away and the clear struggles in 2025, this isn't a surprise at all. Returning to the college game for a step back or a rest makes sense for a veteran coach who didn't have his unit playing up to expectations down the stretch of the season.
For Bisaccia, it makes sense to step back and attempt to rebuild a bit of value in the college game. This allows the veteran coach either to ease into the next phase of his career or opt to rebuild his value and look to pick an ideal landing spot in the 2027 offseason. Either direction that the coach chooses to go, it is a predictable move to return to the college game.
Former Packers Coach Rich Bisaccia Expected to Return to College Game After Walking Away
It will unquestionably be an adjustment for a coach who has been in the NFL for over two decades, with his last coaching experience coming in the 2001 season with Ole Miss. Obviously, the landscape of college football has drastically changed since then, with players and coaches consistently switching teams and having far more power than in years past.
For Bisaccia, going to Clemson makes sense thanks to the program's history and his connection with head coach Dabo Swinney. Green Bay fans should feel a sense of relief that the former coach is moving on from the NFL, and there appears to be zero chance of a reunion. The Packers will clearly benefit from a new voice and leadership moving forward on special teams.
As respected as Bisaccia might be, the coach wasn't getting the job done, and it was clear that his loyalty to kicker Brandon McManus was hurting the team. Now, all options are on the table as Bisaccia appears to be walking a predictable path heading towards finding a fitting landing spot.