The Green Bay Packers have appointed Cam Achord as their special teams coordinator, as announced by Head Coach Matt LaFleur on Friday. Achord brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent a decade coaching special teams in the NFL, including four years as a coordinator. His most recent role was as an assistant special teams coach with the New York Giants in 2024-25, where he played a pivotal role in the team's success.
During his time with the Giants, Achord's unit set a new single-season franchise record for kickoff return yards, amassing 1,942 yards with an impressive average of 27.7 yards per return. This achievement surpassed the previous record set in 1964. The Giants' kickoff return average of 27.7 yards was the second-highest in franchise history and ranked fifth among all NFL teams in 2025. Furthermore, the Giants had two players, Isaiah Simmons and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, earn NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in 2024.
Prior to the Giants, Achord spent six years coaching special teams for the New England Patriots, initially as an assistant coach from 2018-19 and later as the coordinator from 2020-23. The Patriots consistently performed well under Achord's leadership, finishing third in the NFL with a 26.2-yard kickoff return average in 2023, and sixth in coverage team performance, allowing an average of 20.6 yards. In 2022, Achord's unit excelled, ranking first in the NFL with 418 punt return yards and third with 1,274 total return yards. This success was largely due to the outstanding performance of rookie Marcus Jones, who earned first-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press as a punt returner.
Achord's coaching career began at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he served as the offensive, special teams, and recruiting coordinator from 2013-17. He then moved to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he worked as an offensive graduate assistant with the quarterbacks in 2012 and as a special teams graduate assistant, coaching the linebackers, from 2010-11. Achord's playing career included being a four-year starter at free safety for Belhaven University, where he was a team captain in 2008 and 2009.
With his extensive experience and proven track record, Cam Achord is poised to make a significant impact as the Packers' special teams coordinator, building upon the team's success and contributing to their future achievements.
