Phil Galiano is in his first season as the Saints' special teams coordinator and his seventh season in New Orleans, spending his first six years in New Orleans as the club's assistant special teams coach. Galiano is a veteran in the coaching ranks with 25 years of experience, including nine seasons in the NFL.
Galiano's work over the past six years with Darren Rizzi, who served as coordinator from 2019-24, helped make the kicking game an important key to victory for New Orleans. On coverage units, J.T. Gray's 93 tackles rank first in the NFL, with the special teams ace selected as an Associated Press All-Pro three times. The punting game has produced the top five seasons in club history for punts inside-the-20-yard line. Since 2019, the Saints have excelled in the return game. Over the six-season period, the team has been ranked fifth in the NFL in punt return average (10.4) and are tied for second in the league with three punts returned for touchdowns. The coverage units have allowed the third-lowest punt return average (7.0).
Special teams continued to be a bright spot for New Orleans in 2024, highlighted by Gray being selected as an All-Pro after recording an NFL-best 26 coverage tackles and one blocked punt. New Orleans ranked first in the NFL in opponent starting field position after kickoffs (28.2) and punts inside the 20-yard line (franchise-record 41 by rookie P Matthew Hayball), fifth in punt return average (12.5), seventh in opponent field goal percentage (78.6), eighth in opponent punt return average (7.6) and tenth in field goal percentage (87.1). Two blocked field goals were crucial in a pair of three-point victories. K Blake Grupe made 27 of 31 field goal attempts six-of-eight from 50+ yards, a .871 percentage and scored 112 points. WR/RS Rashid Shaheed returned a punt for a touchdown for the second consecutive season.
In 2023, 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). Shaheed was selected as a Pro Bowl starter as a return specialist and as an AP 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 Grupe 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. Sewell, the team's 2024 Ed Block Courage Award winner, 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.
In 2021, Saints special teams ranked fifth in Gosselin's comprehensive special teams rankings for the second consecutive season. Gray received his first career selection as a starter in the league's All-Star Game after leading the NFL with 19 special teams tackles and was also an AP first-team All-Pro. LB Andrew Dowell, in his first full NFL season, tied for fifth in the league with 14 coverage stops and blocked a punt. The Saints special teams unit ranked fourth in the NFL in opponent average starting position after kickoffs (24.1-yard line) and eighth in punt return average (10.0).
2020 saw the Saints ranked fifth in Gosselin's annual rankings. They ranked first in opponent punt return average (2.3) and second in opponent kickoff return average (17.2), sixth in kickoff return average (25.4) and ninth in punt return average (10.2), while ranking third in opponent average starting position after kickoffs (23.8-yard line) and ninth in average starting position after kickoffs (25.9-yard line). Despite missing seven games with injuries, Harty had a 12.2 punt return average and 27.3 kickoff return average. K Wil Lutz (Week Five) and P Thomas Morstead (Week One) each were named NFC Special Teams Player of the week.
The 2019 season saw special teams rise to first in Gosselin's rankings. The special teams featured standout performances from Harty, Lutz, Morstead and Gray. For the first time in franchise history, two special teams players were selected to the AP All-Pro team (Gray and Harris) and for the second time two were selected to the Pro Bowl (Harty and Lutz). As an undrafted free agent, Harty ranked in the top five in the NFL in both kickoff and punt return average. Lutz set a franchise record by drilling 32 field goals, ranking second in the NFL in scoring (144 points), PATs (48), touchbacks (career-high 74) and third in field goals. Morstead ranked fifth in the NFL in net punting average (43.1) and was named the September NFC Special Teams Player of the Month and twice was selected conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Gray led the Saints with 16 stops, blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on coverage.
In 2018, Galiano was the special teams coordinator and assistant defensive line coach at Penn State. The Nittany Lions were ranked 12th in the country in kickoff return average (24.7) and 23rd in special teams efficiency and gross punting average (44.0). He joined the Nittany Lions in 2017 as a defensive consultant and served as the special teams coordinator for the 2017 Playstation Fiesta Bowl.
In 2016, he was a special teams intern with the Miami Dolphins under Rizzi. Miami ranked seventh in Gosselin's special teams rankings and led the NFL in opponent gross punting average (41.8) and tied for the league lead with four blocked kicks.
Galiano spent eight years at Rutgers over three stints, most recently as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach in 2015 and director of recruiting in 2014. Under Galiano's tutelage in 2015, the Scarlet Knights ranked 12th in ESPN's special teams efficiency ranking, including Âfinishing 19th in the FBS in kick return defense (18.75), 13th in punt return average (13.92) and scoring Âfive special teams touchdowns.
After 12 years at the college level, Galiano jumped to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012-13 as assistant special teams coach. In 2013, Tampa Bay led the NFL in kickoff‑ return defense (18.8 ypr.) and blocked two punts. In 2012, the Buccaneers led the NFL with three blocked punts. Galiano also worked with K Connor Barth, who tied for the league lead in field goals of 40+ yards and P Michael Koenen, who led the league in touchbacks on kickoffs and touchback percentage on kickoffs.
In his second stint with the Scarlet Knights, Galiano coached the defensive line (2011) and tight ends (2010). In 2011, the Rutgers defense fiÂnished third in the FBS in forced turnovers (34), eighth in tackles for loss (7.62) and scoring defense (18.31) and 15th in sacks (2.69).
Prior to his second stint at Rutgers, Galiano served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Florida International from 2007-09. At FIU, Galiano helped the Panthers achieve marked improvements on the defensive side of the ball. Between the 2007 and 2008 seasons, FIU jumped up 74 spots in turnover margin, 45 spots in pass efficiency defense, 36 spots in scoring defense, 34 spots in total defense and 25 spots in rush defense. The team also ranked 25th nationally in tackles for loss average, moving up 37 spots.
In his first stop at Rutgers from 2003-06, Galiano began as a defensive graduate assistant in 2003, before he was elevated to linebackers coach in 2004. He spent the 2005-06 seasons coaching the defensive ends. His ends were major contributors on a defensive unit that ranked fourth nationally in 2006. Rutgers' defense was fifth in the NCAA in sacks and tackles for loss per game.
Galiano began his coaching career at Dickinson College, where he worked with the outside linebackers in 2000. He spent 2001 as outside linebackers coach at the University of New Haven, before becoming an offensive assistant at Villanova in 2002, working primarily with the tight ends.
A three-year starter at safety for Shippensburg, Galiano served as a tri-captain during his senior campaign. He helped lead the Raiders to consecutive winning seasons (1997-99). The Norristown, Pa. native graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
PLAYING CAREER: Shippensburg, 1996-99.
COACHING CAREER: Dickinson, 2000; New Haven, 2001; Villanova, 2002; Rutgers, 2003-06, 2010-11, 2014-15; Florida International, 2007-09; Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012-13; Miami Dolphins, 2016; Penn State, 2017-18; New Orleans Saints, 2019-.
