The Buffalo Bills relieved Matthew Smiley of his duties as special teams coordinator on Super Bowl Sunday. Two days later, the Bills found his replacement.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that the team was hiring Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator. Tabor was not in the league last season, but most recently served as the Carolina Panthers’ interim head coach in 2023. He was with the Panthers from 2022 to 2023 as their special teams coordinator.
Tabor has a long history of coaching special teams in the NFL. He started as an assistant special teams coach for the Chicago Bears (2008-2010) before getting hired by the Cleveland Browns as their special teams coordinator. Tabor served as Cleveland’s special teams coordinator from 2011-2017. Following his time in Cleveland, Tabor was the special teams coordinator for the Bears (2018-2021)
Buffalo’s special teams units struggled under Smiley. The team ranked 28th this season in special teams DVOA. His units also rated poorly on Rick Gosselin and Bill Huber’s special teams rankings as the Bills finished 28th in 2023 and 27th in 2024.
Tabor, meanwhile, was ranked as the NFL’s No. 2 special teams coordinator by the NFLPA in 2023. A total of 1,025 special teams players voted on the list.
In his final season in Carolina, Gosselin ranked Tabor’s special teams unit fourth in the league. His rankings were based on returns, coverage, starting points, kicking, punting, points, penalties, takeaways, giveaways and blocks. The Panthers had a league-high five punt blocks in 2023.
Tabor’s popularity among special teams players and overall track record could help Buffalo land a few upgrades to the unit in free agency.
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