One of the most shocking decisions the Green Bay Packers made heading into the offseason was not to part ways with Brandon McManus right away. The kicker helped produce one of the biggest playoff collapses in recent memory when he fumbled Green Bay’s 21-3 second-half lead over the Bears. Now, this decision could be quickly reversed with Rich Bisaccia resigning as Green Bay’s special teams coordinator. It’s not a move Packer fans will be upset about considering the unit’s frustrating inconsistency in the 2025 season.
McManus was the biggest factor in that, peaking in the playoff loss when the veteran missed three kicks. The missed extra point and two missed field goals left the door wide open for a comeback victory for the Chicago Bears, a loss that could have led to more impactful changes in the offseason. Green Bay has an opportunity to right this wrong now that it no longer has a coordinator who was clearly very loyal to McManus despite his flaws.
In the final month, Bisaccia spoke during the regular season. About the kicker and how he seemed to come to his senses. It was clear this was wishful thinking and spoke more of loyalty than doing what it took to win. Now that their coach is gone, the least the Packers can do is provide competition or find someone the franchise can fully trust.
Packers kicker Brandon McManus clearly troubled by Bisaccia’s Green Bay exit
According to Spotrac, If the Packers waive McManus after June 1, they would save $2.6 million in cap space and eliminate the majority of the remaining two years of McManus’ contract. If the Packers want to give up on bringing competition and simply sever ties and try their luck in free agency, this seems like a very viable option.
This is a viable path considering McManus’s lackluster performance on the biggest stage led to a disappointing loss. This loss is not one that can be easily shaken off, and keeping their kicker roster intact will certainly ensure that fans and coaches won’t have the confidence they need in their kicking game come playoff time. We’ve seen McManus when the pressure is at its peak, but this performance called for a change in Green Bay.
With this in mind, ending Mr Bisaccia’s term is a move that should have already been made. Taking away one of the kicker’s obvious defenders should give the decision-makers a chance to do the right thing and eliminate a bout that has clearly stopped working.