On Super Bowl Sunday, the Buffalo Bills removed Matthew Smiley of his duties as special teams coordinator. Two days later, the Bills had found a replacement.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that the team had hired Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator. Tabor was not in the league last season, but he most recently served as interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers in 2023. He served as the Panthers’ special teams coordinator from 2022 to 2023.
Tabor has a lengthy experience of coaching special teams in the NFL. He began as an assistant special teams coach for the Chicago Bears.
(2008–2010) before being appointed as the Cleveland Browns’ special teams coordinator. Tabor worked as Cleveland’s special teams coordinator from 2011 to 2017. Following his career in Cleveland, Tabor served as the Bears’ special teams coordinator (2018-2021).
Buffalo’s special teams failed under Smiley. This season, the team placed 28th in the DVOA for special teams. His units also performed poorly in Rick Gosselin and Bill Huber’s special teams rankings, with the Bills finishing 28th in 2023 and 27th in 2024.
Tabor, meanwhile, was named the NFLPA’s No. 2 special teams coordinator for 2023. A total of 1,025 special teams players voted for the list.
In his final season at Carolina, Gosselin placed Tabor’s special teams squad fourth in the league. He ranked players based on returns, coverage, starting points, kicking, punting, points, penalties, takeaways, turnovers, and blocks. In 2023, the Panthers led the league with five punt blocks.
Tabor’s popularity among special teams players and general track record may help Buffalo make a couple additions to the unit in free agency.
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