The Green Bay Packers' loss of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who stepped down on Tuesday, is the first personnel loss in America's Dairyland for the Detroit Lions and the rest of the NFC North.
While Jeff Hafley's taking the Miami Dolphins head coaching job and Sean Mannion's exit to become the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator were potentially detrimental to the Packers, that isn't the case for the special teams unit in Green Bay.
Bisaccia's special teams put the Pack's defense in bad field position constantly, most notably allowing a blown 18-point lead against the Chicago Bears in the NFC wild-card round. His inability to identify Lucas Havrisik as the better option over starting PK Brandon McManus was equally as detrimental.
With all the money Brian Gutekunst was investing into both sides of the ball, losing games because of bad special teams play is just about the cruelest way for your season to end. If Green Bay picks the right replacement, the Packers could potentially shore up their most glaring weakness and lord over the NFC North as they have been expected to.
Bisaccia Leaving Green Bay Makes Detroit's Schedule Even Tougher
For the Lions, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings, the Packers may have just become a bigger problem twice a year.
Of course, Detroit can't point to poor special teams play from Green Bay as the impetus for anything during their two losses this past season. McManus converted all three of his field goals, and neither team scored a return touchdown. That doesn't mean this move occurring this late in the offseason won't have an impact on the Lions, however.
We know the Packers could start winning games with thin margins with this move. Between the regular season and their unfathomable postseason loss, Green Bay lost seven games in 2025. When you add up all the field position lost or not gained, and the missed PATs and FG attempts, several games in the standings during any given season could effectively be decided by having the right person in the special teams coordinator seat.
It cannot be understated how the Packers must adequately replace Bisaccia. This won't be an easy task now that much of the coaching carousel has run its course. Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur are under the gun this year and made the Bisaccia hiring in the first place. There's a non-zero chance they screw it up again.
If they don't, though, then the pecking order in the NFC North just effectively changed in a way that directly benefits Green Bay and no one else in the division.