Rich Bisaccia's departure leaves the Green Bay Packers with a coaching void. Uncover the subtle influence of Matt LaFleur's expectations driving this surprising resignation.
Rich Bisaccia is no longer the special teams coach of the Green Bay Packers. He submitted his resignation on Tuesday, and now the Packers are left looking for a new special teams coordinator (and assistant head coach) at undoubtedly the worst part of the coaching cycle.
Most of the NFL has already been shaken up. Head coaches were fired and hired and they all worked quickly to build their new staffs.
What that means is that the Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur are going to essentially be scraping the bottom of the barrell when it comes to finding a new special teams coordinator.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, though, the reason behind the decision isn't maliciousness. It's because he feels like he failed the Packers and, specifically, LaFleur.
In fact, Bisaccia thought about stepping down last year, per Schefter.
"He had thought about doing it last year, apparently," Schefter said on ESPN Milwaukee on Wednesday. "He felt like he failed Matt LaFleur last year. Obviously, there were some special teams issues this year. He felt like he failed him last year. He certainly probably felt, maybe, a similar way this year."
Schefter went on to explain the greater trend in the NFL right now. Coaches seem to be getting younger and younger as the league continues to evolve.
It makes sense, too, that coaching in the NFL is a young man's game. The hours are grueling, and the pressure is intense.
Schefter didn't say age was the reason Bisaccia decided to step away, but it's worth noting that he's 65 years old and will be 66 by the time the 2026 season rolls around.
"In your 60s, it's a hard job," Schefter explained. "Do you want to do it, or not?"
Bisaccia clearly decided that he no longer wanted to do the job. One would expect that he'll now drift away into retirement, and it's worth noting that he's had a respectable NFL career and is well-liked across the league.
Unfortunately, though, the way things ended in Green Bay will be a stain on NFL legacy.
PackersRoundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Packers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.