The significance of Michael Spurlock joining special teams coaching staff in Green Bay

 To put it lightly, the Green Bay Packers have really struggled at special teams over the last few seasons, especially in the return department. They finished 29th in kick returns yardage last season and 22nd in punt return yardage in 2021. The team parted ways with special teams coordinator Maurice Drayton and hired veteran special teams coach Rich Bissacia, who has been coaching football for nearly four decades. Along with the hiring of Bisaccia, the team hired former special teams star and nine-year veteran Michael Spurlock to be their special teams quality control coach. Hiring Spurlock could be a game-changing move for head coach Matt LaFleur and his team.

The most important note about Spurlock is that he had five career return touchdowns (three punt, two kick) in nearly a decade in the league. He was the first player to ever return a touchdown in Buccaneers history. Each of those return touchdowns came under Bisaccia in Tampa Bay and San Diego, who was the special teams coordinator during almost the entirety of Spurlock's career. He recorded almost 2,600 kick return yards and close to 800 punt return yards in his career.

The early possible favorites to play the role of kick returner and punt returner include veteran receiver Randall Cobb, rookies receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, and second-year receiver Amari Rodgers. Regardless of who is chosen to help bring the return game back to relevance, Spurlock will have a very important role molding that phase of the special teams unit. He has the proven knowledge and ability necessary to getting Green Bay's return game back on track.