It's here. It's what you've all been waiting for.
Packers fans were clamoring for change, and eventually, they got it. Rich Bisaccia is out. Officially, we’re told he “retired.” And sure — maybe that’s the case. Maybe this was a mutual parting born from deep introspection and heartfelt self-evaluation. Or maybe this is just how these things are packaged in the NFL. You can draw your own conclusions.
Regardless of the phrasing, the reality is the same: firing a special teams coordinator is the easy part. Finding someone definitively better? That’s where it gets complicated.
Green Bay knows this dance all too well. Ron Zook. Shawn Mennenga. Maurice Drayton. Bisaccia.
Zook chaos. Mennenga confusion. Drayton disaster. Bisaccia inconsistency.
Each hire arrived with optimism. Each departure arrived with frustration. The pattern isn’t effort — it’s execution. And execution isn’t just about who’s holding the headset.
Players still have to block. Cover. Stay in their lanes. Make the tackle in space. And just as importantly, Brian Gutekunst has to supply the roster with players who actually have special teams value. For years, the back end of Green Bay’s depth chart has been short on proven teams contributors. And when one of the few reliable pieces earns a bigger role on offense or defense, it creates yet another vacuum of inexperience. That’s not a coaching quirk — that’s roster math.
And let’s not ignore the obvious: the pressure here falls squarely on Matt LaFleur.
He nailed the Jeff Hafley hire. That one was a home run. But Hafley’s now in Miami, and LaFleur is once again staring down a pivotal offseason decision. He’ll be leaning on new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to help stabilize one side of the ball. Now he has to prove he can strike gold again on special teams.
Because at some point, coordinator turnover stops being circumstance and starts being résumé. LaFleur doesn’t just need to make a hire — he needs to make the right one. Again.
So if there’s no magic wand hire waiting out there, what does smart look like?
It looks like identifying coaches who’ve built structure. Who’ve developed specialists. Who’ve squeezed production out of imperfect rosters. The Packers don’t need hype — they need competence.
There are options. Real ones. Let’s start with a guy who just hoisted a Lombardi.
Devin Fitzsimmons — Seahawks Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
Devin Fitzsimmons is first on this list for an obvious reason — he just won a Super Bowl. And if we’re all honest with each other, the REAL MVP of that game was Jason Myers, not Kenneth Walker III (no disrespect to you though Kenneth). While Walker’s effort was essential to getting the Seahawks within range, you still gotta make the kicks when everything is on the line. But we all knew the NFL wasn’t going to award the MVP to a kicker.
On the flipside, the Seahawks should also be singing punter Michael Dickson’s praises. In the seven times he was trotted out to give the ball back to New England, the Patriots’ average starting field position was the 19-yard line, with three of those punts inside the 10. Coverage was excellent too — the Pats mustered just four return yards all game.
But this wasn’t just a great showing when it mattered. Fitzsimmons has a résumé to back it up. Last season Myers connected on 86.7% of his field goals, including a franchise-record nine from 50+ yards. Dickson averaged 49.4 yards per punt, ranking third all-time in Seahawks history.
He’s also had success across multiple stops. In 2023 with Carolina, his unit produced the league’s No. 2 kick return average (27.2 yards). In Arizona, Matt Prater and Andy Lee posted career bests. Back in Detroit, he engineered a Pro Bowl long snapper and an All-Pro returner. The track record is layered.
And do I even need to remind you guys about the Packers-Seahawks connection between Gutekunst and John Schneider? Granted, it’s LaFleur’s hire. But I’d be surprised if Fitzsimmons isn’t at least on Green Bay’s radar.
Jett Modkins — Lions Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
Since arriving in Detroit in 2021, Jett Modkins has overseen three All-Pro special teamers who’ve combined for five honors: Kalif Raymond, Jack Fox, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. That’s not coincidence. That’s sustained development.
The Lions have finished Top 3 in punt return average since his hire. Consistency like that doesn’t happen by accident.
Oh, and by the way — Detroit converts fake punts at a 75% clip. Seventy-five percent. Fake punt conversions require timing, discipline, and nerves. The Packers have struggled executing routine special teams plays in recent years. They don’t need cute. They need competence — and controlled aggression. Detroit has both.
Modkins’ résumé stands on its own, but what intrigues me most is that he coaches under Dan Campbell. You don’t survive in that building without a certain brand of competitive edge. Packers fans know exactly what that Honolulu Blue mentality looks like. A little of that energy at Lambeau wouldn’t hurt.
Will Burnham — Texans Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
Burnham is still an NFL newcomer, entering just his third season in Houston. How did DeMeco Ryans find this guy? Dunno. But I kinda like him.
In 2024, Houston ranked Top 10 in scoring on special teams (142), kickoff drive start average (29.2), kickoff return drive start average (30.4), first in opponent punt return average (4.8), and Top 3 in net punting (44.0). In 2023, they finished Top 10 in 15 categories and first in Rick Gosselin’s special teams rankings.
Yes, the Texans’ eighth-ranked DVOA goes to Ryans too. But in-game personnel decisions and complementary football matter on special teams as well.
But dangggg, all that in TWO seasons?
And here’s the part that should really make you raise an eyebrow: he’s just getting started. Two NFL seasons. That’s it. And in that short window he’s already stacking Top 10 finishes like a veteran coordinator. There’s no stagnation here, no “let’s see if it holds.” The arrow is pointing straight up. You’re not hiring résumé — you’re hiring trajectory. And trajectory like this doesn’t stay on the market long.
Burnham’s been ready for the league for years. Big 12 titles at Kansas State. Top 20 national finishes across multiple units. National title at Florida State. The résumé runs deep.
Now go get ’em, LaFleur.
Luke Thompson — Jaguars Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
You guys know I was born in Jacksonville, and I NEVER thought I’d be pining for a Jaguars coach for the Packers. But here we are.
Luke Thompson looks like the “Steady Eddy” we thought we were getting in Bisaccia. Six years in the NFL, over 20 in college. Not flashy. Just seasoned.
In each of his three seasons in Jacksonville, he’s helped produce at least one Pro Bowler and three All-Pros. Rookie kicker Cam Little drilled 93.1% of his attempts — a franchise record. The Jaguars ranked second in kickoff return yards and fourth in net punting in 2023.
Thompson sounds like a producer. Not headline-grabbing. Just consistent. And after the roller coaster of recent years, consistency might be exactly what Green Bay needs.
Jeff LePak — Vanderbilt Special Teams Coordinator
Jeff LePak has been working mini miracles in Nashville. In 2024, Vanderbilt ranked fifth nationally in special teams efficiency and first in the SEC. That’s not something you stumble into.
Before his promotion, the Commodores were outside the Top 100 in efficiency. Since then? Inside the Top 45 every year.
And let’s be honest — competing in the SEC when Georgia, Alabama, and Texas are hoarding talent is no small task. Vanderbilt isn’t swimming in five-stars. That requires development.
Right now, the Packers — far from loaded with special teams blue-chippers — could use someone who can right the ship sooner rather than later.
Patrick Dougherty — Texas A&M Special Teams Coordinator
Patrick Dougherty followed Mike Elko from Duke to Texas A&M, and he’s been better than good at both stops.
In 2024, A&M ranked Top 35 nationally in yards per punt, field goal percentage, and field goals made. He coached an SEC All-Freshman kicker along with Ray Guy and Lou Groza semifinalists.
At Duke, the Blue Devils ranked second nationally in net punting in 2023 and allowed just 54 punt return yards all season. Fifty-four. The year prior, they ranked first nationally in punt return average.
Again, this is Duke. We ain’t talkin basketball — we talkin gridiron, baby.
He’s got good bones. The structure is there. The question is whether he’d step away from Elko.
Shane Gallant — Vanderbilt Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
Why mention Shane Gallant when LePak is the headliner at Vanderbilt? Because every strong program has more than one architect.
Before joining the Commodores, Gallant helped Mississippi State finish first nationally in special teams in 2022 and 12th in efficiency. In the SEC. That’s squeezing every ounce out of your personnel.
Is he ready for the NFL? That’s fair to ask. But finishing first nationally isn’t an accident — it’s evidence. The résumé just needs one more bold line. And if the Packers are looking for a calculated swing instead of a recycled name, Gallant might be closer than people think.
The Bottom Line
Rich Bisaccia’s departure doesn’t have to be a setback. It can be a reset.
The Packers don’t need theatrics. They don’t need a headline hire. They need competence — layered, repeatable, disciplined competence. Every name on this list, in different ways, has proven they can build structure and develop specialists.
Special teams won’t carry you to a Super Bowl, but it can absolutely keep you from one. Green Bay has felt that the hard way. The encouraging part? There are real options out there.
This hire won’t dominate SportsCenter. It won’t win a press conference. But if it’s done right, it might quietly win field position in December — and sometimes, that’s the difference between playing in January or watching it.
Buckle up yall, we're in for a hell of a ride to a new coordinator. Let's hope it's a fun one.
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