The Green Bay Packers are once again staring down a familiar problem - one that’s haunted them in the postseason time and time again: special teams breakdowns. And while fans are demanding change, the message coming out of 1265 Lombardi Ave is clear - don’t expect any.
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who’s been under fire from fans after another playoff exit marred by kicking woes, appears to have the full backing of the Packers' front office. General Manager Brian Gutekunst doubled down on his support for Bisaccia during his end-of-season press conference, signaling that the veteran coach isn’t going anywhere.
“What Rich brings to our culture, this football team, he's a very impactful coach around here,” Gutekunst said. “I thought we've been better on teams the last few years than we've been in a long time.”
That’s a bold statement, especially considering the evidence on the field. Yes, Bisaccia didn’t personally cause Brandon McManus to miss three kicks in the playoff loss.
And no, he wasn’t the one who fumbled an onside kick three weeks earlier. But when special teams repeatedly cost you in high-leverage moments, it’s fair to ask where the accountability lies.
Gutekunst pointed to McManus’ 32 straight made kicks before the playoffs as a reason not to panic. And he’s not wrong - you don’t expect a proven veteran to suddenly lose his rhythm when it matters most.
But this isn’t a one-off issue. It’s a pattern.
Let’s rewind.
In Week 3, McManus missed a game-winner in Cleveland, setting up the Browns for a walk-off. A week later in Dallas, a blocked extra point was returned for two points - a four-point swing in what ended as a tie.
Missed field goals in tight losses to Carolina and Philadelphia. A botched onside kick recovery in Week 16 that could’ve sealed a win.
Then came the regular-season finale in Chicago: three missed kicks, a 37-yard kickoff return allowed, a 29-yard punt return allowed - and a four-point loss.
That’s not just bad luck. That’s a trend.
And it’s not just this season. In 2023, a missed 41-yarder in the fourth quarter kept Green Bay from taking a late touchdown lead in the playoffs.
In 2021, a blocked field goal and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown - they lost that game by three. And of course, the 2014 NFC Championship collapse still looms large in Packers lore.
So when Gutekunst says the team has improved on special teams, fans understandably raise an eyebrow. He pointed to a strong punter, a reliable long snapper, and McManus’ pre-playoff consistency.
And yes, Keisean Nixon is a two-time All-Pro returner. But he didn’t take a return until the postseason.
Meanwhile, Green Bay cycled through a rotating cast of returners during the regular season - Romeo Doubs, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, Emanuel Wilson, even Jakobie Keeney-James and Nate Hobbs got reps.
Compare that to what Seattle did. John Schneider, a former Packers exec, sent two mid-round picks to the Saints for Rashid Shaheed - and Shaheed delivered three return touchdowns, including a 95-yard opening salvo in the playoffs against San Francisco. That’s a team investing in special teams with purpose.
Gutekunst insists the Packers have shifted their approach from the Ted Thompson era, when special teams were more of an afterthought. “Over the past four or five years, we've probably put more emphasis on it than we ever have,” he said. He’s right that the team has added players like Nick Niemann and Zayne Anderson, but beyond that, most of the special teams contributors are backups who happen to play on coverage units - not specialists brought in specifically to change the game.
And that’s the issue. The Packers seem to value special teams in theory, but not in practice. They’ve seen these breakdowns derail promising seasons again and again, yet the commitment to fixing the problem hasn’t matched the urgency of the results.
Fans wanted a new coordinator. They’re not getting one.
They wanted more investment in special teams talent. That doesn’t seem to be coming either.
So here we are - another offseason, another round of special teams questions, and no real signs that the organization is ready to make the kind of changes that could finally stop the bleeding. If nothing changes, it’s hard not to wonder if we’ll be having this same conversation next January - after another special teams miscue sends the Packers home early.