Mike McCarthy giving up play-calling; Packers finalize coaching staff
The Green Bay Packersannounced a number of coaching staff changes on Thursday, including the shift of offensive play-calling duties away from head coach Mike McCarthy.
Earlier this week, reports circulated that McCarthy was considering handing off his play-calling duties. McCarthy was groomed as an offensive coach before becoming the Packers' head coach in 2006, spending 2000-04 as the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator and 2005 as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator.
Associate head coach/offense Tom Clements will now call the plays for Green Bay's offense. Clements was the Packers' offensive coordinator for the past three seasons after serving as quarterbacks coach for his first six years with the team. He has worked closely with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has won two NFL MVP awards and one Super Bowl MVP award since entering the league in 2005.
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Last season, the Packers finished 12-4, winning the NFC North before losing in the NFC Championship Game to the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay ranked first in scoring (30.4 points per game) and sixth in total offense (386.1 yards per game).
McCarthy acknowledged that giving up play-calling duties was "hard," but expressed confidence in Clements.
"Tom Clements will be the play caller," McCarthy told reporters, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Biggest change personally, I felt play-calling was something I could do, but the commitment Monday through Saturday won't work as well.
"Tom has called [plays] as a player, he's called them in the NFL. [Tom] has an excellent relationship with Aaron Rodgers. The fit with Aaron is the highest priority. I thought that's why it was so important."
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With Clements moving up to associate head coach, the Packers bumped Edgar Bennett up to offensive coordinator. Bennett spent the past four seasons as the Packers' wide receivers coach after six as running backs coach. This past season, Packers wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb became the first duo in NFL history to both record more than 90 receptions, 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns in the same season.
Other coaching changes include moving quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt to quarterbacks/wide receivers coach, former 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari to assistant offensive line coach, former University of Oklahoma defensive line coach to defensive front assistant, assistant special teams coach Ron Zook to special teams coordinator and defensive/special teams assistant Jason Simmons to assistant special teams coach.
- Mike Fiammetta
