Packers hire Byron Storer, Aaron Rodgers' college teammate and Rich Bisaccia's former colleague

When the Packers hired Rich Bisaccia as their new special teams coach, they did so with hopes that he could help turn around their league-worst unit after it cost them dearly in their playoff loss to the 49ers this season. Now, they're adding one of Bisaccia's top assistants — one with another connection to the team, too.

Green Bay is hiring Byron Storer as its new assistant special teams coach, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Storer spent four years in the same position with the Raiders, where Bisaccia coached special teams before becoming their interim head coach this past season.

Storer played three seasons in the NFL with the Buccaneers, and after the end of his playing career, he joined the Tampa Bay coaching staff as an assistant special teams coach. After two years, he moved on to the Chargers in the same role, and in 2013 he became the assistant linebackers coach for one season. Five years later, he returned to the coaching industry when he joined the Raiders.

A former linebacker himself, Storer played college ball at Cal from 2003-06 and received Second-Team All-PAC 10 Special Teams honors in his senior season. He was college teammates with Aaron Rodgers in 2003 and 2004; Rodgers — who was named the league's MVP on Thursday — is believed to be on the fence about his playing future in Green Bay.

The Packers ranked 32nd in the league in special teams in 2021, according to Rick Gosselin of Sports Illustrated. In their divisional-round loss to the 49ers, they allowed both a blocked field goal and punt, the latter of which resulted in a game-changing touchdown in the fourth quarter.