The Buffalo Bills made some new changes to their structure after a disappointing season on special teams. Just hours before the Super Bowl, the team made a bold move, dismissing an important member of the timl team. Now, only two days later, Buffalo has found his successor—one with a proven track record and a reputation for excellence.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills have hired Chris Tabor as their new special teams coordinator. Tabor, who did not coach in the NFL last season, most recently served as the Carolina Panthers’ interim head coach in 2023. Before that, he spent two years as the Panthers’ special teams coordinator.
Tabor’s NFL coaching experience spans over a decade. He began as an assistant special teams coach with the Chicago Bears (2008-2010) before taking over as special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2011–2017). After his time in Cleveland, he returned to the Bears in the same role from 2018-2021.
Buffalo’s special teams struggled under Smiley, ranking 28th in special teams DVOA this past season. The Bills also finished near the bottom of Rick Gosselin and Bill Huber’s special teams rankings, placing 28th in 2023 and 27th in 2024.
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Tabor, however, brings a strong résumé to Buffalo. In 2023, the NFLPA ranked him as the league’s No. 2 special teams coordinator, based on votes from over 1,000 special teams players. During his final season in Carolina, his unit ranked fourth in the NFL according to Gosselin’s analysis, which evaluates returns, coverage, field position, kicking, punting, and more. Notably, the Panthers led the league with five blocked punts in 2023.
With Tabor’s respected reputation and history of success, the Bills may now have an edge in free agency when looking to strengthen their special teams unit.
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