Can Cam Achord Rescue The Green Bay Packers’ Dreadful Special Teams?

Can Cam Achord Rescue The Green Bay Packers’ Dreadful Special Teams?

 

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus is punished by the Gods to roll a boulder up a mountain for eternity, only to have it roll back down time and again.

Every Green Bay Packers’ special teams coordinator has had Sisyphus-like results the past two decades. Now, Cam Achord will take a crack at getting that boulder to the top of the mountain, something countless others have failed to achieve.

Achord, 39, was named Green Bay’s special teams coordinator on Friday, inheriting a position where many men before him have failed. Achord replaces veteran Rich Bisaccia, who stepped down on Feb. 17.

Green Bay was the only team in the league without a special teams coordinator.

“Yeah, I think I look at it kind of glass half full,” Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst said of the Packers being the only team in the league without a coordinator. “This actually allows us to take our time. I think when you get into that coaching cycle, sometimes you’ve got to move fast without knowing everything you want to know about the candidates. Right now, we don’t have a lot of competition”

Achord spent five seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College as its offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, running backs coach, tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator.

Achord became New England’s assistant special teams coach from 2018-19, then was promoted to special teams coordinator from 2020-23.

The Patriots finished No. 1 in Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams ratings in 2020, No. 18 in 2021, No. 16 in 2022 and No. 13 in 2023.

Achord was a member of Bill Belichick’s staff for all six of his seasons in New England, and didn’t return when Belichick was fired after the 2023 campaign

Achord then spent the past two seasons as the assistant special teams coach with the New York Giants (2024-25).

In Green Bay, Achord inherits a special teams group that has been dreadful for more than two decades.

From 2005-’23, the Packers finished dead last in Gosselin’s annual rankings five times — in 2005, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2021. Green Bay also finished between 26th and 31st six other times — in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2023.

Under Bisaccia, Green Bay ranked 22nd in Gosselin’s annual rankings in 2022, then fell back to 29th in 2023.

Gosselin ended his highly regarded rankings after the 2023 season. In Sports Illustrated’s rankings, Green Bay finished 22nd in 2024 and 20th in 2025.

In that time, coordinators Mike Stock, Shawn Slocum, Ron Zook, Shawn Mennenga, Mo Drayton and Bisaccia all tried — and failed — to fix what ailed Green Bay’s special teams.

Along the way, each had to feel like Sisyphus.

Now, Achord will take his turn at getting that boulder up the mountain. History suggests it will be the most daunting of challenges.

GREEN BAY PACKERS SPECIAL TEAMS RANKINGS

2005 — 32nd

2006 — 32nd

2007 — 7th

2008 — 26th

2009 — 31st

2010 — 29th

2011 — 13th

2012 — 12th

2013 — 20th

2014 — 32nd

2015 — 17th

2016 — 29th

2017 — 16th

2018 — 32nd

2019 — 26th

2020 — 29th

2021 — 32nd

2022 — 22nd

2023 — 29th

2024 — 22nd

2025 — 20th

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