During his seven-year NFL playing career with four different clubs, Chad Morton played special teams regularly in a variety of roles, both returning and covering kickoffs and punts.
That makes the special teams assistant position he has assumed with the Packers the most natural place for the 32-year-old to begin his full-time coaching career.
"I think Chad brings experience, having played in the NFL as a very productive special teams player for a number of teams, and he was involved with a number of systems," special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said. "So he's got a very good knowledge base for a young coach. I think he brings a great energy and passion for special teams."
Morton is actually in his second year with the Packers, having joined the team as a coaching administrator in 2009. Following the season, he swapped roles with Curtis Fuller, and he couldn't be more thankful for the new opportunity under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, who has known Morton since his rookie season in 2000 in New Orleans, where McCarthy was the offensive coordinator.
A running back out of USC, Morton carved out his own little spot in the NFL record books that rookie year, tying a league single-game postseason record with 13 receptions (for 106 yards) in the Saints' NFC Divisional playoff loss to Minnesota. He's in good company in a record-sharing group that includes tight ends Kellen Winslow and Shannon Sharpe, and running back Thurman Thomas.
But in the long run, it was special teams play that allowed Morton to make his mark, playing brief stints with the New York Jets (2001-02), Washington Redskins (2003-04) and New York Giants (2005-06).
With the Jets in 2002, he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in a game at Buffalo, with the second one an overtime game-winner. That marked the first time in league history a player returned a kickoff for a touchdown in regulation and overtime of the same game, and the fifth time overall that a player returned two kickoffs for scores in one game.
For his career, he averaged 23.6 yards on 229 kickoff returns and 9.2 yards on 155 punt returns, with four touchdowns in all.
It will be interesting to see what kind of expertise Morton can pass on to Green Bay's returners, particularly on kickoffs. The Packers' average of 22.1 yards on kickoff returns last season was actually the team's best numerical average over the past six seasons, but it ranked just 19th in the league. Only once dating back to 2001 has the team topped that 22.1 mark, hitting Morton's career average of 23.6 in 2003.
"I think it's very important with his experience that we incorporate that into his role, coaching the returners, but he's going to have a greater role than that in terms of coaching the big picture, and that's something he and I will do together," said Slocum, who was USC's special teams and linebackers coach during Morton's final two collegiate seasons. "But yeah, he's been back there catching that ball with guys closing in on him quickly, so I think he'll have some great tips and advice for our guys."
Morton also played as a gunner on punt coverage, a perimeter blocker on punt return (when he wasn't returning punts himself), and as a cover man on kickoffs. In a general sense, Slocum sees Morton being responsible for the perimeter players on special teams while he focuses on the interior members, a normal division of duties.
Morton doesn't see himself as a savior by any means for the Packers' special teams, which struggled considerably at times last season. But if there's anything he can bring into the meeting room or onto the practice field that will help, he's going to share it and see if it makes a difference.
"I was fortunate enough to play for a little bit and play on some successful teams and some successful special teams, so I know what these guys are going through," Morton said. "I know what to look for. I've been out there, getting knocked over and dealing with the surprise blocks with all these angles. So I know what's going on out there, and hopefully I can relay that to some of these guys to help prepare them."
{sportsad300}Thus far in his new role, Morton has focused on preparing himself. He and Slocum have been evaluating all of last year's special teams film and working on the new playbook. Morton also went to the NFL Scouting Combine, where he got to sit in on interviews with potential draftees as well as catch up with some of his former special teams coaches, soaking up everything he could from their conversations and comments.
He's excited to see the players returning for the offseason program, when position coaches get limited time for one-on-one work. Because that's when the teaching part of coaching, which he's looking forward to the most, actually begins.
"That's a big goal of mine is to help these guys succeed," Morton said. "Not just to succeed as a coach. You want to do that, but it means more when you can help somebody else out.
"That's why I can't wait to start talking to them, so by the time the season comes, it's all review. You can't spend a lot of time teaching them schemes during the year. You have to lay the foundation now."
Just as Morton hopes he's laying the foundation for his own coaching career, wherever it goes from here. He's grateful to both McCarthy and Slocum for this chance, and he wants to justify their faith in him.
"This is exactly what I want to do," he said. "I actually enjoy this more than playing football, if you can believe it. The perks that go with playing football - the money, and being able to take care of your family, and just being able to play on the field - that's all great. But actually loving what I'm doing ... this is it."
