Galiano’s work with Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi has made the kicking game an integral part of New Orleans’ success. On coverage units, J.T. Gray’s 65 tackles rank second in the NFL. The punting game has produced the top three seasons in club history for punts inside-the-20-yard line. Since 2019, the Saints have excelled in the return game. Over the five-season period, the team has been ranked sixth in the NFL in punt return average (10.1), while the coverage units have allowed the third-lowest punt return average (7.0). The special teams units have not given up a touchdown since 2019.
Last season, the Saints boasted one of the NFL’s top special teams units, with the unit finishing second in NFL Writer Rick Gosselin’s annual rankings. New Orleans finished in the Top 10 in the NFL in 13-of-22 categories, either leading or sharing the lead in five of them and finishing second in two others. New Orleans finished first in the league in opponent punt return average (5.6), while giving their defense the second-best starting point after kickoffs (24.2). Second-year WR/RS Rashid Shaheed was selected as a Pro Bowl starter as a return specialist and as an Associated Press first-team All-Pro punt returner, ranking third in the NFL in punt return average (13.6) with a 76-yard touchdown, the third-longest return in franchise history. The Saints saw key contributions from their youth, as a total of nine rookies or first-year players contributed to the special teams units, including K Blake Grupe, P Lou Hedley and LB Nephi Sewell. Grupe set the club rookie record with 30 field goals, led the team with 130 points and ranked third in the NFL with 76 touchbacks. Hedley’s 31 punts inside-the-20-yard line ranked second in club record books. Sewell recorded five coverage stops and forced a fumble by the punter in Week 14 that was recovered for a touchdown. In a sign of respect for his methods, Galiano was selected by the Senior Bowl to serve as special teams coordinator for the National Team.
The Saints special teams units delivered another productive season in 2022. After a season-ending toe injury suffered by Deonte Harty, Shaheed had a 9.7 average on 20 punt returns as a rookie. Despite missing three contests due to injury, Gray led the Saints with 12 coverage stops. P Blake Gillikin had a team-record 32 punts inside-the-20.
In 2021, Saints special teams ranked fifth in Gosselin’s comprehensive special teams…
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