Packers Rumors: Former Raiders Interim HC Rich Bisaccia Named Special Teams Coach
Rob Goldberg@@TheRobGoldberg
Featured Columnist IVFebruary 7, 2022
The Green Bay Packers are expected to hire Rich Bisaccia as their special teams coach, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Bisaccia is best known for serving as the Las Vegas Raiders' interim head coach last season, leading the team to a 7-5 record after taking over for Jon Gruden. The squad won its last four regular-season games to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Bisaccia was the Raiders' special teams coordinator and assistant head coach for four seasons. The 61-year-old had the same titles with the Dallas Cowboys from 2013 to 2017 and has coached special teams in the NFL for 20 years across four different organizations.
Several Raiders players lobbied for Bisaccia to become their full-time coach, including starting quarterback Derek Carr:
Mick Akers @mickakersDerek Carr on hoping Rich Bisaccia stays on as head coach of the Raiders past this season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vegas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vegas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/raiders?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#raiders</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaiderNation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RaiderNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/kAd87OTw2k">pic.twitter.com/kAd87OTw2k</a>
"We all think he is the right guy," Carr told reporters last month. "I have never seen a coach with the ear to the locker room like he has."
The Raiders ended up hiring Josh McDaniels, allowing Bisaccia to leave for Green Bay.
He takes over a maligned unit that received significant blame for the team's early elimination from the playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers blocked a field goal and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in the 13-10 divisional-round upset of the Packers, who were the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Green Bay fired special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton shortly after the loss.
Special teams were an issue all season long as the unit ranked 30th in ESPN's Football Power Index.
The Packers allowed the most punt return yards per attempt in the NFL, ranked 31st in field-goal percentage and finished 30th in kickoff return average. Some personnel changes might be necessary going into 2022, but adding an experienced coach in Bisaccia could help turn things around for the title contenders.