There’s movement in the Green Bay Packers’ camp, as special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia stepped down after four years with the team. The Packers’ hunt for a Super Bowl appearance under head coach Matt LaFleur continues, with the team dropping out in the Wild Card Round this past season. Improvements are needed, and hiring a new special teams coordinator will be their next priority.
But why did Bisaccia step down?
NFL Insider Adam Schefter Names 2 Factors in Packers’ Rich Bisaccia Stepping Down
Bisaccia isn’t new to the NFL; he spent 23 years in the league after getting his start with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002. A long journey around the NFL saw him end up at the Packers in 2022, where he closed out his career this week at age 65.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter commented on Bisaccia stepping away from the league, citing his recent failures as one factor that motivated him to resign.
“He had thought about doing it last year, apparently,” Schefter said. “He does this year, and he thought he failed Mat LaFleur last year, and, obviously, there were some special teams issues this year. He certainly failed last year, and he probably failed in a similar way this year.”
“He felt like he failed Matt LaFleur last year…He certainly probably felt maybe a similar way this year.” 👀@AdamSchefter on Rich Bisaccia stepping down from the #Packers. pic.twitter.com/EaaxVUgTtE
— ESPN Milwaukee (@ESPNMilwaukee) February 18, 2026
The NFL insiders also pointed to age being a factor in Bisaccia’s resignation. Older coaches don’t stick around for as long as they used to. There’s also the growing trend of teams opting for younger head coaches.
LA Rams head coach Sean McVay is among the earliest examples, having been hired at two weeks shy of his 31st birthday in 2017 (79.3 PFSN Offense Impact). Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, who took the franchise to the Super Bowl, was hired at 35 in February 2019.
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“I think we’ve seen it across the league with a lot of guys, veteran coaches, this offseason,” Schefter added. “These coaches, it feels like they’re getting younger all the time, and the game’s changing. Some of the older coaches, Jeff Stoutland, [they’re at an age when] it’s a hard job. Do you want to do it or not? And, obviously, he thought about it last year, and he stayed on. And he goes now.”
It’ll be interesting to see who Green Bay hires to succeed Bisccia. Matthew Smiley could be signed out of free agency if he’s willing to return to the NFL. He has more than a decade’s worth of experience, having built special teams units at the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
Former Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator Marquice Williams left the team following the season and has ties to LaFleur, making him another realistic candidate.
