The Green Bay Packers are in the middle of a significant coaching staff shakeup, and while there’s been promising movement on the defensive side of the ball, one name still looms large - and not necessarily in a good way. Special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia remains in place, despite a multi-year stretch of underwhelming results in the third phase of the game.
Let’s break down where things stand in Green Bay - from the coaching hires that could shape the defense going forward, to the lingering question mark around special teams.
Special Teams: The Problem That Won’t Go Away
Let’s not sugarcoat it - Green Bay’s special teams have been a liability for years. And while punter Daniel Whelan was a rare bright spot this past season, the unit as a whole continued to struggle in ways that cost the Packers both field position and, arguably, wins.
The numbers are damning. Since 2020, the Packers rank second to last in the NFL in total Expected Points Added (EPA) lost on special teams - a stat that essentially measures how many points a team has left on the table due to poor execution in that phase of the game.
Green Bay’s -165.81 EPA is only slightly better than the Rams’ -169.68, and nearly 80 points worse than the third-worst team. That’s not just bad - that’s historically bad.
And yet, despite reports that Bisaccia could be on his way out after the Packers’ playoff exit, he’s still in the building. For a team that’s clearly not afraid to make changes elsewhere, the decision to stick with Bisaccia is puzzling.
To be clear, Bisaccia is respected inside the organization. Players generally like him, and his leadership presence is valued.
But the results on the field haven’t matched the reputation. Whether it’s the lack of a consistent return specialist, the revolving door at kicker, or a general lack of attention to detail in coverage units, the issues have piled up.
Take the 2025 season as an example. Brandon McManus was expected to bring stability to the kicking game, but the team’s unwillingness to pivot when things went south proved costly.
And it’s not as if the Packers haven’t had the roster flexibility to address these concerns - players like Nick Niemann and Zayne Anderson were kept largely for their special teams value. If that’s the case, the performance should reflect that investment.
It hasn’t.
At this point, Bisaccia’s continued presence feels like a symbol of the Packers’ long-standing complacency in special teams. If the organization is serious about contending for a Super Bowl in the near future, it might be time to rethink how they approach the third phase - and who’s leading it.
Could Bisaccia stay on in an assistant head coach-only role? Maybe. But if Green Bay wants to send a message that it’s done accepting mediocrity in any phase of the game, moving on from Bisaccia altogether would be a strong first step.
Defensive Overhaul: A Promising Start
Now, let’s shift to the more encouraging side of the Packers’ offseason - the defensive staff. After bringing in Jonathan Gannon as the new defensive coordinator, Green Bay has started to fill out the rest of the defensive brain trust, and the early returns are promising.
One of the headline additions is Bobby Babich, who comes over after serving as the Bills’ defensive coordinator. He’ll take on the role of defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach in Green Bay. Babich brings 14 years of NFL coaching experience and was instrumental in Buffalo’s league-best pass defense last season - an area where the Packers have plenty of room to grow.
Joining him is Sam Siefkes, who will coach the linebackers. While Siefkes doesn’t have the same NFL résumé as Babich, he’s no stranger to leading a defense.
He served as a defensive coordinator at the college level, most recently at Virginia Tech, and has strong ties to the state of Wisconsin. Born in Oconomowoc and having coached at several schools in the area, he brings both familiarity and fresh perspective to the job.
The common thread with these hires? Experience and leadership.
And with several former assistants following Jeff Hafley to Miami or landing jobs elsewhere, there’s still room for more additions in the coming weeks. But so far, Gannon appears to be surrounding himself with coaches who know how to get results - and that’s exactly what Green Bay needs.
A Crucial Offseason for the Packers
The Packers are clearly in the middle of a coaching reset - and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. New voices, new energy, and a new direction could be exactly what this team needs to take the next step.
But if this is truly going to be a fresh start, it has to be a full one. That means addressing every area of weakness, including special teams.
For too long, that unit has held the Packers back, and the numbers bear that out. With the team already making bold moves on defense, now is the perfect time to apply that same urgency to special teams.
Green Bay has the pieces to be a legitimate contender. The young core is there.
The quarterback is ascending. The defense is getting a facelift.
But if the third phase continues to lag behind, it could once again be the Achilles heel of a team with championship potential.
This offseason is about more than just filling vacancies - it’s about setting a new tone. And that starts with making the hard decisions, even when they involve respected figures like Rich Bisaccia.