Packers' Rich Bisaccia Set For Second Interview With The Colts

Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia could be one and done with the Green Bay Packers. NFL Media insider Tom Pelissero reported Sunday that Bisaccia is slated to interview for the second time with the Indianapolis Colts for their head coaching position on Monday. Bisaccia is one of several known candidates to advance to the next stage in the interview process, including Jeff Saturday, the team’s 2022 interim head coach. 

Bisaccia, who started his NFL coaching career in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took over the head coaching reins with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 after Jon Gruden resigned in October of that season. Bisaccia was 7-5 during the regular season as the interim head coach and won four-straight games to the close the regular season, guiding the Raiders to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season. They finished second in the AFC West and lost to the Bengals in the wild card round. 

While the overall record may be ho-hum to outsiders, what should stand out about Bisaccia’s time with the Raiders was how well respected he was in the locker room. 

“I told people when he got the job that he was the right man for the job for multiple reasons,” running back Josh Jacobs told The Athletic in January of 2022. “Every guy in the room respects him. Even before he was the head coach, he was one of them guys that you go talk to about life when you got things going on. And when you got a coach that you respect and that you genuinely care for and you love, you’ll do whatever for them.”

Star defensive end Maxx Crosby was particularly candid about the type of man and leader Bisaccia was day to day, year over year. 

“He’s the same guy every single day,” Crosby told The Athletic in January of 2022. “He works his ass off. He’s going to keep it real no matter what. He’s not going to sugarcoat anything. If I need something, he’s the first guy I go to. Since Day 1; since I got here three years ago. He’s just one of those guys that you want in your corner and you know you’re going to have in your corner for life. The guys respond really well to him and I love having him as my head coach.”

Beyond his 13-game stint as an interim head coach, Bisaccia served as an assistant head coach with several NFL teams, including the Buccaneers (2008-2010), the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers (2012), the Dallas Cowboys (2013-17), and the Raiders (2018-2021). 

The loss of Bisaccia would be significant for head coach Matt LaFleur and the special teams unit. As I wrote last week, the Packers enjoyed their highest DVOA ranking (17th) and highest Rick Gosselin ranking (22nd) of LaFleur’s tenure under the direction of Bisaccia. They also improved in the areas of kickoff return coverage (26th in 2021 to 21st in 2022) and punt return coverage, going from worst to 21st. Perhaps most impressive of all, the Packers ranked 7th in opponent net punting (40.38) and 4th in average yards gained per kickoff return (25.64), thanks to the stellar play of first-team All-Pro honoree Keisean Nixon. 

“I really like what we did as a teams unit this year," GM Brian Gutekunst said, according to Packers.com. "A lot of respect for Rich and how he goes about things. I think the thing that I like the most was the play style of those guys and not only the effort and the intensity but then the pride they took in it. I thought our cover teams were as good as they've been in a long time.”

LaFleur and the Packers have been unable to block any of Bisaccia’s interviews with the Colts because teams are prohibited from blocking their coordinators from interviewing for head coaching positions. In the event that the Colts hire Bisaccia and LaFleur wanted to interview a current NFL special teams coordinator, said coordinator would need to gain permission from his team in order to do so, which the team could block since it would be considered a "lateral" move. However, if LaFleur wanted to interview an assistant special teams coach, that coach’s team could not block it due to a 2020 resolution passed by the owners that prohibits teams from blocking their assistant coaches (read: not coordinators) from interviewing for coordinator positions. 

 

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Rex is a lifelong Packers fan but was sick of the cold, so he moved to the heart of Cowboys country. Follow him on Twitter (@Sheild92) and Instagram (@rex.sheild). 

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Comments (53)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
PatrickGB's picture

January 30, 2023 at 12:09 pm

He is a good ST’s coach. And he is a good leader. Yet does he really have the background to know how to scheme and plan in order to run a competitive NFL team?

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splitpea1's picture

January 30, 2023 at 12:33 pm

He's going to have to build that team from the ground up; both the offense and defense were terrible this season. A lot is going to ride on the quality of the coaching staff he assembles. And he's going to need to draft and develop a QB, unless the Colts are going to be in the market for another retread. One of the more challenging HC job openings....

2 points
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PackyCheese500's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:19 pm

The D was okay

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Since'61's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:54 pm

I wish the Packers were in HC discussions with him. If nothing else for a change of attitude perspective. He did a good job as the interim HC for the Raiders. Thanks, Since '61

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jannes bjornson's picture

January 30, 2023 at 03:09 pm

He sure as hell didn't call the fake punt on the 30 in their own territory. This guy would be the perfect leader for this team. Add some grit and wisdom. He's not worrying about his wardrobe.

4 points
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crayzpackfan's picture

January 30, 2023 at 03:41 pm

61- this news is a real gut punch. Not only might we lose a really good ST's coach, He might bring Nixon and others with him. Not only that, but the boob we have at HC will most likely hire Chad, the guy who details his car. I wish the BOD's, even on short notice, would clean house, with the end result being, no matter the cost, bringing in Jim Harbaugh, while getting rid of AR. I'm exhausted with this. We hire crappy coaches and never kick them to curb, while the good ones we get, we let jump ship. SMH!! I'm at a loss.

2 points
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GVPacker's picture

January 30, 2023 at 06:29 pm

I agree with your thought process, I have no confidence In MLF!
The Packers are going to be In a world of hurt with Matt The Flower as head coach next year!

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4thand10's picture

January 30, 2023 at 12:15 pm

Oh, FFS, can’t we have anything nice?

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Coldworld's picture

January 30, 2023 at 12:32 pm

If he gets it and takes the assistants he brought to run his STs, then we are in danger of being left back where we started. Add in most of our core ST stars were his and are FAs. Great management again from LaFleur Murphy and Ball.

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Heyward's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:05 pm

Bisaccia's top assistant, Byron Storer, is under contract and would be promoted by the Packers.

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Coldworld's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:21 pm

He would have to be, because otherwise the added responsibility rule would mean that he couldn’t be stopped from following.

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13TimeChamps's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:14 pm

How exactly is it LaFleur's fault that one of his assistants is getting an interview for a HC position?

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Tekraut17's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:01 pm

Exactly, good God let's just blame them for everything. I'm sure they are the reason Gary got injured and Bak's appendix ruptured WTF?

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Coldworld's picture

January 30, 2023 at 03:23 pm

Actually, it was always likely Bissacia would get opportunities. Where you take that realization may affect where that train of thought may go. In general terms of course, your statement is correct, but this wasn’t that at hiring.

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T7Steve's picture

January 30, 2023 at 12:38 pm

Are the Colts in their right minds? Why would they be giving more than one interview. REAL teams just give one.

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BirdDogUni's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:00 pm

Maybe it was only a one hour interview, so they needed a second interview to make it two hours?

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ricky's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:36 pm

Actually, second interviews are very common.

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packer132's picture

January 30, 2023 at 07:36 pm

The Colts have 3 candidates back for a second interview, and that's common in the NFL. They already have interviewed a long list for their new coach and are doing a very thorough job. I wish the Packers had done better when they were looking for a successor for Big Mike in 2018.

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Since'61's picture

January 30, 2023 at 08:21 pm

Why? The Packers have Murphy and "We're not idiots." Thanks, Since '61

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BirdDogUni's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:01 pm

Any news from the Senior Bowl?

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BirdDogUni's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:13 pm

Salary Cap jumped to a $224.8 million per team... Good news for Packer fans.

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Coldworld's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:23 pm

Pretty much in Line with predictions I think: 208 and a bit to just under 225. I doubt that changes the playing field for Ball much.

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albert999's picture

January 30, 2023 at 01:25 pm

How? So we can pay more for tickets than the already out of fucking line prices?

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Johnblood27's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:19 pm

kind of like your out of f'ng line wording?

Its a marketplace my friend, you pay what the market will bear. No empty seats, so pay the freight or watch from home.

...and OBTW, the media contracts contribute a LOT more than ticket sales to the overall budget of the NFL to include the Salary Cap figures.

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albert999's picture

January 30, 2023 at 09:51 pm

I’m not your friend…I will be watching from home

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Johnblood27's picture

January 31, 2023 at 11:21 pm

You're a real 'prince' Albert...

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Johnblood27's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:23 pm

Couldn't we offer Bisaccia the Assistant HC title and some added say in things to entice him to stay in GB?

I hope that this type of negotiation is happening from the GB side.

Oh, wait a minute... I forgot who we were talking about here... reactive only, not proactive actions... the FO is probably too busy trying to get Mo Drayton back...

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PatrickGB's picture

January 31, 2023 at 10:34 am

I think he already has that title. And I believe that he is one of the highest paid ST’s coaches in the league. He brought a lot to the team.

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Minniman's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:38 pm

Apologies Rex, I'm hijacking your article to suggest an alternate theme of articles for Al and Nagler to consider (and get us out of this negative themed spiral of articles).

What about getting Dusty to do a Passing Chronicles series on the Divisional Rounds and the NFCCG and AFCCG? Or Bruce or Wendall to do similar analysis-based pieces?

MLF said in one of his last press conferences that they were going to review the trends of the successful teams and learn from these (as they clearly have to adapt)

Especially in the championship games, there was plenty to learn about how to run an offense with an immobile QB.

On a side note, as sad as this is to write, MVS played his best game as a pro in the AFCCG. He certainly wasn't a WR1 (or 2), but he made his catches when they came his way (and both scored and converted big on late downs).

3 points
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jont's picture

January 30, 2023 at 03:22 pm

Good for MVS. I was one of those who thought he wasn't worth the $10mln KC paid (as much as he could've helped GB this year) but he was always a good guy so good for him.

As for the idea about articles on the playoffs, I agree with you.

The one I'd like to see is about adjustments. Everybody always talks about adjustments: Romo praised Cincinnnati coaches, particularly the D, and on this board MLF and Barry are constantly ridiculed for not adjusting. I'd like to be educated on this by a knowledgeable person pointing to something specific.

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MainePackFan's picture

January 30, 2023 at 03:29 pm

Nice thought, but as long as the elephant is in the room, the room will still talk about the elephant. Human nature.

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Fubared's picture

January 30, 2023 at 09:27 pm

One of the themes LeFleur, the play off teams all have multiple play makers on both sides the ball
Not Rodgers throwing to Adams every pass but two and none of our d backs covering.

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croatpackfan's picture

January 31, 2023 at 08:49 am

That is the product of trust, if you remember. ACR trusts only one WR as far as it get. If he throws to any other WR that came from necessity, not from trust...

That is how it is.

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Packers0808's picture

January 30, 2023 at 02:58 pm

He should be Packer Head Coach! At least he did adapt and got rid of Rodgers as returner!

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NJ-RICK's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:06 pm

Another season over and Packer players & coaches looking to play/coach else where... Another sign that the team is on a downward spiral. Bring in new MGT...

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Since'61's picture

January 30, 2023 at 08:24 pm

Agree NJ-Rick but sadly it won't happen. The Packers extended Gute and MLF. So the MGT and HC are here for at least another season or 2. Probably at least until Murphy retires. He'll keep MLF until retirement so that he doesn't need to spend another whole 2 hours to hire a new HC. Thanks, Since '61

2 points
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tincada's picture

January 31, 2023 at 11:05 am

As anyone knows Mgmt turnover is not a good sign. GB excels at it now that the "team' has seen the the AR / DA train go off the rails. Nothing for them to hang their hats on now.

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CheesedDeadHead's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:09 pm

Rich B took our ST coach position to transition from successful interim HC to another gig as a HC or a significantly better position than ST coach. By every indication he did a very good job for the Packers. Nobody's fault that he would jump at another opportunity to run the entire show. Hard to read too much into this on the Packers side.

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ricky's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:40 pm

If Bisaccia is hired by the Colts, I will be very interested in his replacement. Will the team pay more for a guy who seems to be able to keep the team moving in the right direction? Or will, as I fear, will they "promote from within". Also, will Keisean Nixon want to follow "his" coach again? This could actually end up being a double whammy for special teams.

1 points
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PackyCheese500's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:41 pm

The latest PFF mock. I think this one was pretty good. I did a hypothetical trade where the Jets give 2023 and 2024 firsts, a 2023 second, and a 2024 fourth for Rodgers and Bakhtiari.

13 (via Jets): TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
15: EDGE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
43 (via Jets): S JL Skinner, Boise St.
45: WR Rashee Rice, SMU
78: DT Jaquelin Roy, LSU
116: LB Ivan Pace Jr, Cincinnati (he is a pass-rusher)
151: TE Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
171: C Ricky Stromberg, Arkansas (don't think he'll fall this far, but I'll take it)
225: K Jake Moody, Michigan
234: S Tyreque Jones, Boise St.
244: OT John Ojwoku, Boise St.
257: RB Travis Dye, USC

-3 points
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stockholder's picture

January 31, 2023 at 05:32 am

Mayer is dropping. Needs a great 40 to stay in Rd.1.
Ness is to slow. Gary was faster. No to Van Ness.
Skinner is second rd. - Getting off blocks ?
Wr Rashee Rice. - Game changer! Best pick.
DT works in rd.3. But there are better
that should drop. At least they did last year.
I'll take Cameron Latu TE Alabama @151
If you trade Rodgers who @ back-up?

2 points
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Qoojo's picture

January 30, 2023 at 05:44 pm

I was really surprised that a team didn't hire him for HC after his interim job with the raiders. He won more games as interim raiders coach in 12 games than the wunderboy did this year in the whole season.

I would dump MLF in a heartbeat and promote him to HC.

6 points
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Since'61's picture

January 30, 2023 at 08:27 pm

I'll second that Qoojo. Haven't seen you here in awhile. Keep 'em coming. Thanks, Since '61

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albert999's picture

January 30, 2023 at 09:54 pm

I’m in on that

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croatpackfan's picture

January 31, 2023 at 09:01 am

To be honest, as far as this structure will stay, you'll get no quality HC here in Green Bay. Quality coaches don't like when anybody mess with their job and gives then ultimatums, like "you have to keep Mike Pettine until his contract expires" or "you have to respect inputs from our HOF QB narcissist" or "you have to play Amari Rodgers as our primary returner".

New quality HC can keep some coordinators or/and assistents, if he thinks they are doing good job, bit they prefer to bring in their guys because they have responsibility for whole team performance.

0 points
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Fubared's picture

January 30, 2023 at 09:10 pm

Could have fired Barry and gave him the job. Now we got Barry. Goodbye Rich.

4 points
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Lphill's picture

January 31, 2023 at 05:45 am

Chris Gizzi is the right man to replace him.

-2 points
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dobber's picture

February 02, 2023 at 10:05 am

Again with the Chris Gizzi crap? He's a S&C coach, not a positional coach or coordinator. Do you pick a drywaller to fix your roof just because he hung gutters as a summer job for a couple years in college?

0 points
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freddisch's picture

January 31, 2023 at 07:04 am

If Rich doesn’t get the head coaching job, fire Joe Berry and make Rich DC

1 points
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egbertsouse's picture

January 31, 2023 at 07:27 am

Irsay is a clown. He will end up hiring his buddy, Jeff Saturday. Qualifications be damned!

2 points
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Coldworld's picture

January 31, 2023 at 08:21 am

One can hope

1 points
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coolhand's picture

January 31, 2023 at 09:08 am

I was shocked the Raiders didn't hire Rich B as HC. But they don't and hire Josh McDaniels? He's been a disaster everywhere he's gone. I was surprised he even took the ST job with the Packers. If the Colts don't hire him they're crazy.

1 points
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dobber's picture

February 02, 2023 at 10:07 am

"I was shocked the Raiders didn't hire Rich B as HC. But they don't and hire Josh McDaniels?"

Yup. Stupid is as stupid does.
Maybe they'll deal Carr to the Jets (that actually frees up about $25M additional dollars in cap space for LV) and turn around to use acquired capital to buy ARod. McDaniels always coveted 12.

0 points
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