Units that Rizzi has coordinated the past 11 seasons are ranked first in the NFL over that period with 13 blocked punts. In 2022, the Saints excelled in the punting game again finishing Top 5 in punts inside the 20 (32) as well as 11th in net punt yards (43.4). In 2021, Saints special teams ace J.T. Gray received his first career selection as a starter in the league’s Pro Bowl and was also an AP first-team All-Pro. Rizzi prepared Blake Gillikin for his first season handling punting duties. 29 of Gillikin’s punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, ranked fourth in the NFL and tying a team record. 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). In 2020, Rizzi fielded a unit that ranked first in opponent punt return average (2.3), second in opponent kickoff return average (17.2), sixth in kickoff return average (25.4 avg.) and ninth in punt return average (10.2 avg.). In his first season with New Orleans in 2019, the special teams featured standout performances from Harris, K Wil Lutz, P Thomas 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 (Harris and K Wil Lutz).

The 2018 Dolphins graded out fourth in the NFL in Gosselin’s rankings. Jason Sanders drilled 18-of-20 (90.0 pct.) field goal attempts and was a PFWA All-Rookie selection, one of only four kickers to kick in all of his team’s games and miss just two or fewer field goals and one of only four to miss three or fewer kicks. The 2017 Dolphins were tied for second in the NFL with three blocked kicks. He also successfully converted four onside kicks, the most in NFL history since records date back to 1997. The team graded out at No. 11 in Gosselin’s rankings and Pro Football Focus ranked the team’s special teams No. 6 in the NFL. S Michael Thomas was named PFF’s Special Teamer of the Year and led the Dolphins with 11 special teams tackles. Miami was seventh in Gosselin’s rankings in 2016, led the NFL in opponent gross punting average (41.8) and tied for the league lead with four blocked kicks. Grant and KR Kenyan Drake each had touchdown returns, becoming the second Dolphins rookie tandem and fourth NFL rookie duo to return a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in the same season.

Rizzi joined the Dolphins with four years of experience as a college head coach, including 2008 at the University of Rhode Island. Prior to taking over the program at URI, Rizzi was an assistant at Rutgers for the previous six seasons (2002-07). In Rizzi’s six years at Rutgers, he coached three players who earned first-team All-Big East honors in special teams including kick returner Nate Jones (2002), kick/punt returner Willie Foster (2005) and punter Joe Radigan (2006).