GREEN BAY, Delete. The Green Bay Packers have fired special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga after two seasons in that role with the team, a source has confirmed to ESPN.
Mennenga was part of coach Matt LaFleur’s original staff when he was hired for the 2019 season.
There was not immediately anything to be said about the status of defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, whose contract expired after this season. Pettine met with LaFleur on Wednesday to discuss his status.
Pettine chose not to sign an extension after last season, sources said. Most Packers coordinators and position coaches always have two years for their deals, but Pettine chose to go into the last year of his contract and see how things turn out.
Despite the Packers’ 13-3 regular season and their berth in the NFC Championship Game, they struggled with special teams throughout the season.
Blocked kicks, long returns allowed, and an ineffective return game overshadowed a near-perfect season by kicker Mason Crosby, one of the few bright spots in special teams.
The Packers were ranked 29th in Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings, widely regarded as the gold standard for evaluating special teams in the league. Green Bay was 26th last season.
Mennenga inherited the worst special teams unit in the 2018 league, when the Packers were ranked 32nd under former coordinator Ron Zook. The Packers were also last in the league in 2014 under then-coordinator Shawn Slocum. The club’s highest ranking in special teams between 2014 and 2020 was 16th in 2017.
Among the Packers’ problems for special teams this season were:
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Two punt returns allowed for touchdowns (a 91-yarder in week 10 by the Jaguars and a 73-yarder by the Eagles in week 13)
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A clumsy fourth quarter kickoff by Darrius Shepherd in what was a draw in Week 11 against the Colts the Packers lost in overtime
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A blocked staircase in week 9 by the 49ers
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A bad snap on an extra point in the division playoff game against the Rams that led to a scramble situation where holder JK Scott panicked and threw the ball to Crosby, who sustained a shoulder injury
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An inconsistent season punting by Scott
Brian Gutekunst, Packers general manager, used draft picks on Scott (fifth round) and long-snapper Hunter Bradley (seventh round) in 2018, neither of which has performed properly.
NFL Network first reported the news of Mennenga’s resignation.