Bills hiring new special teams coordinator Chris Tabor

[GunnerBill]

I am not quite as high as some of you on Tabor. When he went back to Chicago as the STC under Nagy their coverage units consistently struggled. That said he is a big upgrade from Smiley and he did a pretty good job in his tenure in Carolina. He is legit qualified to do this job which I'm afraid Smiley never was. 

 

I would expect improvement in 2025.

[Goin Breakdown]

13 seconds left on the clock. What kind of kickoff do you recommend?  How fast will you make the call and who will that play be communicated to?

[mikemac2001]

39 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I am not quite as high as some of you on Tabor. When he went back to Chicago as the STC under Nagy their coverage units consistently struggled. That said he is a big upgrade from Smiley and he did a pretty good job in his tenure in Carolina. He is legit qualified to do this job which I'm afraid Smiley never was. 

 

I would expect improvement in 2025.

So big upgrade or worried about him 

 

or did he do a good job but did he struggle ?

 

a lot of mixed feelings in that post 😆

[Beck Water]

Cue "another panthers hire" in 3...2....1.....

[hondo in seattle]

I'm willing to forgive McD for 13 seconds.  I don't know what really happened.  And, in any case, we took the world champions to overtime in a tightly contested game that could have gone either way so obviously we did a lot of things right.  As head coach, he deserves the blame for whatever went wrong in those 13 ticks of the clock but he likewise deserves credit for the many things we did right that season and game.  

 

Where I find fault with McD is with coordinators.  We only have three, and it seems we replace one every year.  It'd be better to find good ones (like Reid finding Spags) and then stick with them until they're hired away to be head coaches.  But McD seems to have trouble finding good ones.  

 

Offense:  Dennison, Daboll, Dorsey, Brady

 

Defense:  Frazier, McDermott, Babich

 

ST: Crossman, Farwell, Smiley, Tabor

[Thurman#1]

2 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

Called it. Excellent hire. 

 

 

Don't know these guys well. He's a good'n?

 

 

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

I am not quite as high as some of you on Tabor. When he went back to Chicago as the STC under Nagy their coverage units consistently struggled. That said he is a big upgrade from Smiley and he did a pretty good job in his tenure in Carolina. He is legit qualified to do this job which I'm afraid Smiley never was. 

 

I would expect improvement in 2025.

 

 

Awright, not quite as positive, but still sounds pretty good. Nice to hear. Thanks, Bill.

[Captain Hindsight]

2 hours ago, The Cincinnati Kid said:

So, looking back, some poor hires?

https://youtube.com/shorts/AyRJV3ViI70?si=blBCGnM4xTTEnnGG

[The Cincinnati Kid]

1 minute ago, Captain Hindsight said:

https://youtube.com/shorts/AyRJV3ViI70?si=blBCGnM4xTTEnnGG

Hey now! He is on the Cowboys coaching staff these days. He’s mist be a winner.🏅 

[BarleyNY]

19 minutes ago, Thurman#1 said:

Don't know these guys well. He's a good'n?

I think so. His specials always seemed to do well even when circumstances were not the best for him. And he’s a great fit for the Bills culture. 

[Thurman#1]

9 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

I think so. His specials always seemed to do well even when circumstances were not the best for him. And he’s a great fit for the Bills culture. 

 

 

Appreciate it. Very much. I've never been very aware at all on this stuff. 

 

You're making me more hopeful.

[davefan66]

47 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

I'm willing to forgive McD for 13 seconds.  I don't know what really happened.  And, in any case, we took the world champions to overtime in a tightly contested game that could have gone either way so obviously we did a lot of things right.  As head coach, he deserves the blame for whatever went wrong in those 13 ticks of the clock but he likewise deserves credit for the many things we did right that season and game.  

 

Where I find fault with McD is with coordinators.  We only have three, and it seems we replace one every year.  It'd be better to find good ones (like Reid finding Spags) and then stick with them until they're hired away to be head coaches.  But McD seems to have trouble finding good ones.  

 

Offense:  Dennison, Daboll, Dorsey, Brady

 

Defense:  Frazier, McDermott, Babich

 

ST: Crossman, Farwell, Smiley, Tabor

Daboll left to become a HC. Not fired by McD….

 

Dorsey was kept for “continuity”…  happy McD realized he was over his head and let him go. Brady isn’t going anywhere unless he becomes a HC…again, not McD’s fault.

 

People clamored for Frazier to go…“Mutual decision”.  McD took control of the D after that with emphasis on getting Babich ready to be DC.  No issue here either.

 

Has lot had a good run on ST coaches, just happy he recognized the need for change. 
 

Could he have done better?  Yeah. But at least he makes the effort to better his staff.  Can’t fault him for that.

[Captain Hindsight]

48 minutes ago, The Cincinnati Kid said:

Hey now! He is on the Cowboys coaching staff these days. He’s mist be a winner.🏅 

Bet the under on cowboys win total 

[Warriorspikes51]

4 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Terry Pegula is opening the wallet to upgrade the coaching staff.

 

Bills mean business this offseason.

$$$$$$ Cash to cap and big bonus monopoly payouts to land elite players incoming

[US Egg]

4 hours ago, 3rdand12 said:

Here is my take

 McD wants to grow his People and culture. That's a fine thing.

He is learning

 Maybe he needed more Teachers

So this is a good thing?

[Sierra Foothills]

5 hours ago, JGMcD2 said:

You could just link my post next time 😂

 

 

On 2/10/2025 at 6:47 AM, JGMcD2 said:

This is a pretty niche role that doesn't get a ton of coverage, but here are some potential options:

 

These names are currently employed as and have experience as Assistant Special Teams coaches on top units in the league:

• Jett Modkins - Detroit Lions (2021 - 2024)
  • Son of Curtis Modkins (Bills OC under Chan Gailey) and is an original member of Dan Campbell's staff
  • He received an interview for the 49ers ST Coordinator role that was filled by Ben Boyer 
• Sam Koch - Baltimore Ravens (2022 - 2024)
  • Former All-Pro and Pro Bowl Punter for Baltimore
  • Been on staff dating back to 2022
• Andy Hill - Kansas City Chiefs (2020 - 2024)
  • Formerly at Mizzou for nearly 30 years, brought on to work under Dave Toub who is considered the preeminent ST Coordinator in the NFL today

Former ST Coordinators who are available:

• Chris Tabor
  • Most recently Carolina ST coordinator (2022 - 2023) but has stints with Cleveland (2011 - 2017) and Chicago (2018 - 2021)
  • Ranked as the 2nd best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season
• Ben Kotwica 
  • Most recently Denver ST coordinator (2023 - 2024) but has stints with Jets (2013), Commanders (2014 - 2018) and Falcons (2019 - 2020)
• Darren Rizzi
  • Most recently New Orleans ST coordinator/Interim Head Coach (2019 - 2024)
  • Ranked as the 5th best ST coordinator via a poll conducted by the NFLPA after the 2023 season
    • This seems unlikely as many are connecting him to the open vacancy in Denver reuniting him with Sean Payton

Seems VERY unlikely, but looking at the college options:

• Joe DeCamillis 
  • Currently Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at South Carolina
  • 2x Super Bowl Champion with a ton of NFL experience
  • Unlikely to make the jump as he's making $800k at South Carolina
• LeVar Woods
  • Currently the Special Teams Coordinator at Iowa
  • Former NFL Linebacker and Special Teams standout
  • Iowa is the only place he has ever coached, making $700k 
• Pete Lembo
  • Current University of Buffalo Head Coach
  • Special Teams Coordinator at Maryland, Rice and South Carolina before dipping back into the Head Coach ranks
  • Nominated multiple times for the Broyles Award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football.
    • Feels unlikely, but we've seen college head coaches leave their post for lesser roles in recent years with NIL creating a massive gap
      • Jeff Hafley left a head coaching job at Boston College -- with three years left on his contract -- to become an NFL defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers.
      • Chip Kelly left one Big Ten job for another. The surprise being he gave up a head coaching job at UCLA to become an offensive coordinator at new conference rival Ohio State. Kelly was nine months removed from having his contract extended at UCLA.
      • Two head coaches at the Group of Five level left to become coordinators at Alabama: Kane Wommack (South Alabama) and Maurice Linguist (Buffalo).
      • Another Group of Five head coach, Shawn Elliott of Georgia State, left to become mostly a position coach at South Carolina.
      • Jerry Kill, who gave up his head coaching job at New Mexico State after a 10-win season to become a consultant at Vanderbilt.

 

Yes, your's was a great post and I'm glad we ended up with Tabor.