Paul Bretl | 5/13/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Following the Packers’ playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, two-time All-Pro return man Keisean Nixon said during locker cleanout that he was “over it” when it came to being a returner. Instead, he wanted to focus solely on being the defense’s top cornerback.
Understandably so, with that conversation taking place less than 24 hours after a season-ending loss, one in which Nixon fumbled the opening kickoff return, the frustration of that performance was still very much lingering.
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However, in the months since, time has helped heal, and from the sounds of it, Nixon is going to be a part of the Packers’ return man equation.
“I think we’re, you know, I think him and I both, as well as other players, were not in very good mood after that particular game (Philadelphia), and going into that press conference, we’ve had conversations,” said special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia on Monday. “So in my mind, he’s always going to be in the mix, and we’ll see how it works out.”
Under the NFL’s new kickoff rules last season, Nixon didn’t see as many quality opportunities to return the ball as he had hoped. After totaling 35 return attempts in 2022 and 32 in 2023, he had just 22 this season. Overall, he was still effective, averaging 28.3 yards per attempt, although he was missing that big-play jolt.
To further incentivise kick returns, the NFL is again tweaking the rule with touchbacks this season being moved from the 30-yard line, as was the case last year, to the 35-yard line this year.
“The thing I think that’s good for us is we’ve had a year to go through it,” said Bisaccia. “We’ve seen some of the things that we did really well on both ends, the kickoff and the return part, and some things that we did extremely poorly on the kickoff return part. I think we, as coaches, have learned a lot of how we can give our guys in the return game some more tools to probably get themselves in a little bit better position.”
Along with Nixon returning kicks, presumably Jayden Reed will have the opportunity to continue returning punts this season as well. On 16 punt returns last season, which ranked 27th, Reed averaged a modest 8.6 yards per return with two muffed attempts, according to PFF.
But beyond Nixon and Reed retaining the same roles in 2025, when it comes to return man duties, the Packers have several other options on the roster as well. As Bisaccia mentioned on Monday, both rookie receivers, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams, have return experience from their time in college.
Golden had 29 kick return attempts during his time at Houston and Texas, averaging 25.8 yards per return, and recorded two touchdowns with his 4.29-second speed. Williams, meanwhile, has 15 career kick return attempts, all of which came in 2020, but his impressive YAC ability with the ball in his hands could make him someone that the Packers want to put on the return units.
Also in the mix now is Mecole Hardman, whom the team signed as a free agent this offseason. Hardman was a second-team All-Pro return man in 2019 and brings more speed to this Packers’ team. During the most recent 2024 season, Hardman had five kick return attempts and averaged 26.4 yards per return. He also had 20 punt return attempts, averaging 10.2 yards per return, which ranked 17th across the NFL.
“Certainly, he’s got great experience in the league,” Bisaccia said of Hardman. “He’s been really productive in both at punt and kick returns. So we’re looking forward to him competing with some of our other guys. But it’s good to have a veteran presence back there that’s made big plays before.”
As training camp and the preseason unfold, the Packers will, of course, be looking for that dynamic playmaking ability, along with reliability at both return man positions. Perhaps also a part of that decision-making process could be the potential workload that a player already has on their plate on either the offensive or defensive sides of the ball.
The success of the return units certainly doesn’t fall only on the shoulders of the returner. The other 10 players have to be positioned well to create running lanes for the return man. Green Bay’s return units certainly weren’t bad in 2024, but there is more opportunity out there as well for those units in 2025.
“I had tremendous conversations with Coach LaFleur and the direction we’re going,” Bisaccia said about the special teams unit, “and felt like I’ve failed him at times and some of the things and the ways in which we’ve played.
“So I have a certain standard and expectation of how we’re supposed to play in the kicking game, and I’m really excited about being here and being here and being back with him and having the opportunity to win a championship. It’s the only reason, really, we get up and go to work anymore in the NFL. There’s really one game you want to go and win that one game.”