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Packers linebackers coach and former Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene is stepping down from his position to spend more time with his family, according to the team.
"I am stepping away from the NFL at this time in order to spend more time with my wife, Tara, and our children, Gavin and Gabrielle," Greene said through the team. "I will miss coaching and will try to return after our kids move on to college if a team will have me."
Greene showed enough through the progression of Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews to make one think he'd have a shot at another coaching gig if and when he decided to dig around for another job. At the same time, the Packers defense sagged a bit this season with and without Matthews, who nursed a thumb injury for much of the season. He re-broke it while taking down Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during Pittsburgh's Week 16 win in Green Bay.
After squeaking into the playoffs this year, the Packers were eliminated at home by the warm weather 49ers, and Green Bay has declined steadily over the last two seasons. Much of that can be attributed to the absence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers along with Matthews for nearly half the season. That leads to some validity behind Greene stepping down being a part of a larger directive meant to go in a different direction but not cause any negative toward Greene, a 2014 NFL Hall of Fame finalist.
