Green Bay Packers Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson will transition to a role as senior advisor to football operations, team President/CEO Mark Murphy announced Tuesday.
"I want to thank Ted for his tireless efforts as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers for these past 13 seasons. Under his guidance, the Packers enjoyed a remarkable run of success, one that included our 13th world championship, four NFC Championship appearances and eight consecutive postseason berths," said Murphy. "The organization, our fans and our community were fortunate to have had one of the NFL's all-time great general managers leading our football operations. On a personal note, Ted's work ethic, humility and loyalty are nearly unparalleled, and it has been one of the great honors of my life to work beside him. Fortunately, Ted will remain involved in our personnel department as we work to win another championship. We will begin an immediate search for the next general manager of the Green Bay Packers."
"It's been a great honor to serve as the Green Bay Packers' general manager for the past 13 years. This is a special place and we've had some success along the way, but it's the relationships that I value most. I've been fortunate to have worked with many dedicated people throughout the organization and I can't thank Mark Murphy, Mike McCarthy, the football-operations staff and our scouts enough for their friendship and support," said Thompson. "Additionally, I want to thank every player that has stepped on the field for us. This is the players' game and I appreciate all the sacrifices they have made for the Packers. I look forward to supporting this team in my new role as we strive to win another championship."
Thompson, who just finished his 13th season as the leader of the team's football operations, built the Packers into one of the NFL's strongest and most consistent teams. His tenure was highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl XLV and six NFC North titles, including a franchise-record four consecutive division titles from 2011-14. The Packers' four appearances in the NFC Championship since 2005, including two since 2014, lead the NFC.
Since taking over as general manager in 2005, Green Bay made nine playoff appearances, including a run of eight in a row (2009-16) that set a franchise record. The stretch of eight postseason berths is tied for the fourth-longest streak in NFL history behind three teams with nine (Dallas, 1975-83; Indianapolis, 2002-10; New England, 2009-17). The Packers' nine appearances in the postseason since '05 are tied with Seattle for the most in the NFC over that span and with Indianapolis and Pittsburgh for the second most in the NFL behind New England (12).
During Thompson's tenure, Green Bay finished with a winning record nine times and won at least 10 games eight times. In 2011, the Packers set a franchise record with 15 regular-season wins. Since 2005, Green Bay has a regular-season record of 125-82-1 (.603), ranking No. 1 in the NFC and No. 4 in the NFL in wins and winning percentage over that time span. Of the five best single-season win totals in team history, two came under Thompson's leadership (13 in 2007).
The Packers are tied with Pittsburgh for the third-most postseason games played (18) since 2005, trailing New England (25) and Seattle (21). Dating back to 2005, Green Bay's 10 postseason victories are tied with Baltimore for No. 4 in the NFL (New England, 16; Seattle, 13; Pittsburgh, 12).
Thompson was named NFL Executive of the Year two times (2007, 2011) by Sporting News in a vote of his peers. Of the 53 players on Green Bay's Super Bowl XLV championship roster, 49 were acquired by Thompson. Highlighting Thompson's acquisitions over the years are two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers, 2009 Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson, six-time Pro Bowler and franchise sack leader Clay Matthews, and Jordy Nelson, who ranks in the top five in franchise history in receptions, receiving yards, touchdown receptions and 100-yard receiving games. Since 2005, the Packers have drafted 14 players who have made at least one Pro Bowl appearance.
Thompson is a native of Atlanta, Texas. He was a three-year starter at Southern Methodist University and enjoyed a 10-year playing career as a linebacker with the Houston Oilers (1975-84). Thompson previously served an eight-year tenure with Green Bay's personnel department (1992-99) and five seasons in Seattle (2000-04) as the Seahawks' vice president of football operations before re-joining the Packers in 2005.
