There's a significant disconnect between Green Bay Packers fans and those inside 1265 Lombardi Ave regarding special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Packers fans watched their team's Super Bowl hopes go up in smoke once again because of poor special teams play, and understandably expect more. No, Bisaccia didn't coach Brandon McManus to miss three kicks in the playoff loss, just as his scheme didn't cause Romeo Doubs to fumble the onside kick three weeks earlier.
But when the Packers repeatedly fail in crunch moments due to special teams woes, there needs to be some accountability. John Kuhn pinned the blame on the roster-building strategy, and he made some fair points, but one way or another, change is needed.
Just don't expect it. Speaking to reporters in his end-of-season press conference, general manager Brian Gutekunst doubled down in his praise of Bisaccia and then defended their commitment to adding special teams talent.
"What Rich brings to our culture, this football team, he's a very impactful coach around here. I thought we've been better on teams the last few years than we've been in a long time. Our coverage units have been better. We've got one of the best punters in the National Football League. We've got an excellent snapper. Brandon was excellent last year. This year, he worked through some things injury wise and then had a bad playoff game," Gutekunst said.
"I've got a lot of faith in Rich and his staff, what they do around here. Not only the Xs and Os and what they bring to the field, but what they bring to this place culturally is really important."
Brian Gutekunst all but confirms Rich Bisaccia's return by doubling down on Packers fans' frustrations
Gutekunst pointed out that McManus had made 32 consecutive kicks before the playoffs, and he's right. It's unfair to pin blame on the front office or coaching staff for your veteran kicker suddenly losing his consistency on the biggest stage.
The Packers clearly respect Bisaccia's leadership and everything he adds to the locker room. It's why Matt LaFleur made him his assistant head coach. Again, fine, but then we have to talk about the personnel on special teams.
The Seattle Seahawks, whose roster was built by another former Packers guy, John Schneider, proved the importance of special teams by trading for Rashid Shaheed. They sent fourth- and fifth-round picks to the New Orleans Saints at the trade deadline, and he repaid them with three return touchdowns, including a 95-yarder on the opening play of their postseason run against the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay, meanwhile, opted not to retain a return specialist like Mecole Hardman, instead rotating Romeo Doubs, Savion Williams, Bo Melton, and Emanuel Wilson. Even Jakobie Keeney-James and Nate Hobbs returned kicks.
Their two-time All-Pro returner Keisean Nixon? He didn't return a kick until the playoffs.
Don't expect that to change, though. Gutekunst defended the Packers' investment in special teams, contrasting it to the Ted Thompson era.
"I really think over the past four or five years, we've probably put more emphasis on (special teams) than we ever have," Gutekunst said. "Certainly, when I was working for Ted (Thompson), which was always funny because Ted was a special teams guy, we were never really going to have a player who was strictly a special teams guy."
We'd argue the Packers still don't truly embrace adding special teams players. Nick Niemann is an example. So is Zayne Anderson. But that's about it. Many other key special teams contributors are also reliable backups on their respective sides of the ball, like Isaiah McDuffie and Chris Brooks.
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The facts speak for themselves. Green Bay lost eight games in 2025, many of which were influenced by special teams.
Week 3 in Cleveland? McManus missed a game-winning field goal, leaving just enough time for the Browns to steal it. The Week 4 tie in Dallas? McManus had an extra point blocked and returned for two points, turning a potential 14-0 lead into 13-2. McManus missed a field goal in a three-point loss to Carolina and another in a three-point defeat to Philadelphia.
Week 16? Doubs botched an onside kick recovery that would've almost guaranteed a Packers victory. Three weeks later, again in Chicago, McManus missed three kicks worth seven points, while Green Bay allowed a kick return of 37 yards and a punt return of 29. They lost by four points.
It gets worse when you look at the Packers' playoff defeats before this season's heartbreaker.
In 2023, Anders Carlon missed a crucial 41-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter. It prevented the Packers from taking a seven-point lead. In 2021, they had a field goal blocked and then a punt blocked for a touchdown, losing the game by three points. And we all remember what happened in the 2014 NFC Championship.
The Packers rarely commit to special teams, yet it keeps coming back to haunt them. Fans understandably wanted a change in coordinators, but that now looks unlikely. Gutekunst should also provide more resources to special teams. That, too, doesn't sound in the cards.
Green Bay is opting for the status quo, just perfectly setting up a special teams disaster next January.