Green Bay Packers Hire High-Energy Coach Cam Achord to Fix Special Teams

A different kind of coach

The Green Bay Packers have a new face leading their special teams, and he is unlike anyone they have had before. Cam Achord, a 39 year old Mississippian, was hired in late February to replace Rich Bisaccia. He has already made a massive impression with his intense, hands on style.

Achord wears cleats to practice, runs alongside kick returners, and is not afraid to get physical. During his time with the New England Patriots, his dedication even led to a broken nose. In 2019, he told player Justin Bethel to yank him hard during a drill to simulate real game pressure. Bethel did exactly that, leaving Achord face down on the turf with a broken nose.

Hard work and heavy numbers

Achord is not just about raw energy. He is also obsessed with data. He once watched 3,000 punts over a two day period to calculate that an average NFL punt rolls 14 yards after hitting the ground. This helps him teach his returners when to take risks.

He also studied six years of film on former Patriots star Matthew Slater to see how often he beat double teams. Achord found that Slater won those matchups 80.2% of the time. Achord uses these exact percentages to set high standards for his new players in Green Bay.

Packers players are already responding well to his loud, energetic meetings. Returner Skyy Moore said Achord is just a ball of energy and that the players feed off of that.

Fixing a history of struggles

Green Bay has struggled with special teams for a very long time. Every special teams coordinator the Packers have employed from 1999 through last season, nine in total, has either been fired, forced into retirement, or left under unexplained circumstances.

These errors have cost the team dearly in the past, including major playoff losses in the 2014 and 2021 seasons. Head coach Matt LaFleur is hoping Achord's intense energy and teaching skills can finally turn things around.