Kansas State University Athletics
Football
Nate Kaczor
- Title:
- Special Teams Quality Control
A 34-year veteran with stints as both a collegiate and NFL coach, Nate Kaczor is in his second season at Kansas State and first as the program’s special teams coordinator and special assistant to the head coach. Kaczor originally came to Manhattan as the special teams quality control coach in 2024.
During his first season at K-State, Kaczor (pronounced KAT-sir) guided Dylan Edwards to a No. 4 national ranking in punt return touchdowns (1), while he ranked 35th in combined kickoff return and punt return yards (438) and 43rd in kickoff return average (19.9 yards). Additionally, kicker Chris Tennant ranked 41st in field goals per game (1.31) and field goal percentage (81.0%).
A native of Scott City, Kansas, Kaczor worked as an NFL coach for 16 seasons before rejoining the collegiate ranks. He got his start in the NFL as an assistant special teams coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2008-11) and was an assistant offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans (2012) before serving as the special teams coordinator for the Titans (2013-15), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-18) and Washington Commanders (2019-23).
Prior to jumping to the NFL ranks, Kaczor was an offensive assistant at Utah State from 1991 through 1999 – crossing paths with current K-State assistants Mike Tuiasosopo and Matt Wells – in addition to serving as the offensive coordinator at Nebraska-Kearney (2000-03), co-offensive coordinator at Idaho (2004-05) and tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator at Louisiana-Monroe (2006-07).
Throughout his career in the NFL, Kaczor made an impact on all aspects of special teams. During his time in Washington, Kaczor tutored punter Tress Way to a pair of Pro Bowl selections in 2019 and 2022, while special teamer Jeremy Reaves also earned a Pro Bowl in 2022. During the 2022 season, Way set a franchise record with a 44.3 net punting average in 2020, breaking his own record from the year prior (44.1). In 2021, Kaczor directed return units that finished sixth in the NFL in total return yards, while Washington was No. 4 in the league in kickoff return average (25.2) and No. 5 in kickoff return yardage (833) in 2019. During his final season in The DMV, Kaczor guided the Commanders to a No. 7 ranking in kickoff-return average (25.0).
During Kaczor’s three seasons with Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers were one of the top punt coverage units in the NFL, allowing only 6.6 yards per return, the lowest mark in the league during that span. He also helped punter Bryan Anger set franchise records for both punts inside the 20-yard line (37) and net putting average (42.7) during the 2016 season. In the three seasons that Anger spent under Kaczor’s tutelage, Anger ranked in the top 15 in the NFL in punts inside the 20-yard line and net average while only recording 14 touchbacks.
In his final season in Tennessee, Kaczor’s units led the NFL in special teams takeaways, while in 2013 the Titans ranked third in the league in opponent punt return average and eighth in kickoff return average.
A center at Utah State from 1987 to 1989, Kaczor was a team captain who earned all-conference honors during his final season. Kaczor and his wife, Angie, have two children, Kaylee and Micah. Micah was a pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization and is currently the pitching coach at King University.
During his first season at K-State, Kaczor (pronounced KAT-sir) guided Dylan Edwards to a No. 4 national ranking in punt return touchdowns (1), while he ranked 35th in combined kickoff return and punt return yards (438) and 43rd in kickoff return average (19.9 yards). Additionally, kicker Chris Tennant ranked 41st in field goals per game (1.31) and field goal percentage (81.0%).
A native of Scott City, Kansas, Kaczor worked as an NFL coach for 16 seasons before rejoining the collegiate ranks. He got his start in the NFL as an assistant special teams coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2008-11) and was an assistant offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans (2012) before serving as the special teams coordinator for the Titans (2013-15), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-18) and Washington Commanders (2019-23).
Prior to jumping to the NFL ranks, Kaczor was an offensive assistant at Utah State from 1991 through 1999 – crossing paths with current K-State assistants Mike Tuiasosopo and Matt Wells – in addition to serving as the offensive coordinator at Nebraska-Kearney (2000-03), co-offensive coordinator at Idaho (2004-05) and tight ends coach/co-offensive coordinator at Louisiana-Monroe (2006-07).
Throughout his career in the NFL, Kaczor made an impact on all aspects of special teams. During his time in Washington, Kaczor tutored punter Tress Way to a pair of Pro Bowl selections in 2019 and 2022, while special teamer Jeremy Reaves also earned a Pro Bowl in 2022. During the 2022 season, Way set a franchise record with a 44.3 net punting average in 2020, breaking his own record from the year prior (44.1). In 2021, Kaczor directed return units that finished sixth in the NFL in total return yards, while Washington was No. 4 in the league in kickoff return average (25.2) and No. 5 in kickoff return yardage (833) in 2019. During his final season in The DMV, Kaczor guided the Commanders to a No. 7 ranking in kickoff-return average (25.0).
During Kaczor’s three seasons with Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers were one of the top punt coverage units in the NFL, allowing only 6.6 yards per return, the lowest mark in the league during that span. He also helped punter Bryan Anger set franchise records for both punts inside the 20-yard line (37) and net putting average (42.7) during the 2016 season. In the three seasons that Anger spent under Kaczor’s tutelage, Anger ranked in the top 15 in the NFL in punts inside the 20-yard line and net average while only recording 14 touchbacks.
In his final season in Tennessee, Kaczor’s units led the NFL in special teams takeaways, while in 2013 the Titans ranked third in the league in opponent punt return average and eighth in kickoff return average.
A center at Utah State from 1987 to 1989, Kaczor was a team captain who earned all-conference honors during his final season. Kaczor and his wife, Angie, have two children, Kaylee and Micah. Micah was a pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization and is currently the pitching coach at King University.
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