Maurice Drayton will not return as #Packers special teams coordinator, a source said. Story to come shortly.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) February 1, 2022
After a season-long nightmare on special teams, the Green Bay Packers are making another change in the leadership of the third phase.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers won’t return special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton.
Drayton was promoted from assistant to coordinator after coach Matt LaFleur fired Shawn Mennenga after last season. But Drayton’s one season in charge was nothing short of a disaster, with frequent mistakes occurring across all aspects of the special teams and a calamitous final performance helping bounce the Packers from the playoffs.
According to Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings, the Packers finished dead last at 32nd overall.
Green Bay’s special teams had missed field goals, blocked field goals, blocked punts, turnovers on returns and issues covering punts and kicks.
In the divisional round, a blocked field goal, a long kickoff return and a blocked punt all contributed to the Packers losing 13-10 to the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field.
The compounding mistakes and the playoff meltdown gave LaFleur few other options than to make a change.
In 2022, the Packers will have their fourth different special teams coordinator in the last five years. The next hire will join Drayton, Mennenga and Ron Zook.
Drayton was originally hired by Mike McCarthy and served as an assistant under both Mennenga and Zook before getting the coordinator job.
Firing coordinators is nothing new in Green Bay. The big question becomes: Will the organization finally put more value into special teams and recommit to making sure the third phase isn’t holding back the rest of the team? Finding the next coordinator is just the first step. The Packers need an organizational refresh on special teams, from coaching to commitment to personnel.
