Packers fire special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga, per reports

The Green Bay Packers have made a widely-expected move on the coaching front. On Wednesday, head coach Matt LaFleur met with his three coordinators, holding his closeout meetings with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, and special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga. One of those three is evidently out of a job, with a second individual’s status still unclear at this time.

Mennenga is out, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network who reports that the team is firing him. The Packers’ special teams were largely ineffective this season, with Mason Crosby’s excellent season kicking field goals and PATs being the only bright spot. The Packers’ kick and punt coverage teams were poor all season long — the team allowed a pair of punt return touchdowns and a blocked punt while JK Scott ranked 20th in gross punting yardage. The return teams were no better, ranking last in the NFL in total punt return yardage with 53 yards and finishing 31st in kick return average at 18.9.

DVOA was just as unkind to these units, with only Crosby’s place-kicking providing a positive return. Special teams overall ranked 25th out of 32 teams, with the punt team and kickoff return teams both ranking 29th in the league.

With Mennenga’s status now finalized, all attentions turn to defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. However, if the Packers do decide to move on to a new coordinator, they will not have to fire Pettine in order to do it; as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported, Pettine’s contract has expired as of the end of the 2020 season, and the two sides may simply part ways.

Look for more news on Pettine in the coming hours and days.