Entering his 22nd season overall with the Packers and third as the team's general manager, Brian Gutekunst was named to his position on Jan. 8, 2018.
In his two seasons leading the Packers' personnel department, Gutekunst (GOO-tuh-kunst) has maintained an aggressive approach to building the roster, leading to immediate results in 2019. Green Bay finished last season with a 13-3 record on its way to an NFC North crown, the No. 2 seed in the NFC and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. His roster additions helped lead the Packers to their biggest one-year win improvement in club history (plus-seven wins) in 2019, with 12 of 22 starters in the NFC Championship Game having been acquired by Gutekunst in just two seasons. Overall, 35 of the 53 players on the roster for the NFC title game were his acquisitions.
Gutekunst went to work again this past offseason, signing a trio of veteran free agents (WR Devin Funchess, LB Christian Kirksey and T Rick Wagner) that are expected to make a significant impact in 2020. Funchess spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers (2015-18), where he became the first player in team history to post four-plus TD catches in each of his first four seasons in the NFL. He led the Panthers with 21 TD receptions over that span and ranked No. 2 on the team with 2,233 receiving yards. Kirksey played in 73 games with 54 starts for the Cleveland Browns over six seasons (2014-19) and was voted a defensive captain by his teammates for three consecutive seasons (2017-19). According to Sportradar, Kirksey registered the most solo tackles (171) and the second-most tackles (281) in the NFL from 2016-17 (Seattle LB Bobby Wagner, 300) and was the only player in the league to rank in the top five in the NFL in tackles in both 2016 and 2017. Wagner started all 40 games he appeared in at right tackle for the Detroit Lions over the last three seasons (2017-19), and during his three seasons (2014-16) as a starter with Baltimore, helped the Ravens rank No. 3 in the league over that span in sacks allowed (76).
For the third time in as many drafts, Gutekunst made a first-round trade in 2020, swapping pick No. 30 and a fourth-round selection (No. 136) for the Miami Dolphins' pick at No. 26, and used that selection on Utah State QB Jordan Love. Love finished his career at Utah State ranked No. 2 in school history in passing yards (8,600), completions (689) and attempts (1,125), tied for No. 2 in TD passes (60) and No. 3 in completion percentage (61.2) despite playing just three seasons. He also set school career records for total offense (9,003 yards), 300-yard passing games (12) and completions of 80-plus yards (four). As a sophomore in 2018, Love set Utah State single-season records for TD passes (32), passing yards (3,567) and 300-yard passing games (seven). In the second round, Gutekunst fortified the Packers' backfield with the selection of Boston College RB AJ Dillon. A three-time All-ACC first-team selection, Dillon finished as the school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,238), rushing TDs (38) and all-purpose yards (4,618). He also registered 14 career 150-yard rushing games, the most by any ACC player over the last 20 seasons (Lamar Jackson, 13; Dalvin Cook, 12), and was one of only two FBS players (Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor) to finish in the top 15 in the country in rushing yards per game each of the last three seasons (2017-19). In 2019, Dillon earned third-team All-America honors from The Associated Press after setting career highs in rushing attempts (318) and rushing yards (1,685), and tying his career best with 14 rushing TDs.
In his second offseason managing the Packers' roster in 2019, Gutekunst secured one the most successful free-agent classes in team history, signing four marquee players and immediate starters in LB Preston Smith, LB Za'Darius Smith, S Adrian Amos and G/T Billy Turner. The group proved instrumental in the Packers' run to the NFC North division title and appearance in the NFC Championship Game, with all four players starting every game (including playoffs) last season.
Preston Smith, originally a second-round pick of the Redskins, came to Green Bay after four seasons (2015-18) with Washington. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019 after ranking No. 8 in the NFL with a career-best 12 sacks and finishing No. 2 on the team with 29 QB hits and 43 QB pressures. Za'Darius Smith, who was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, made his first career Pro Bowl last season as an injury replacement for Chicago Bears LB Khalil Mack. He posted a career-best 78 tackles (44 solo), a career-high and team-leading 13½ sacks (No. 6 in the NFL and tied for No. 5 in a single season in team history), a team-best 51 QB hits and a team-high 65 QB pressures. He also posted four games with two-plus sacks in 2019, tied with Cardinals DE Chandler Jones and Buccaneers LB Shaquil Barrett for the most in the league, and became the first Packer to have four games with two-plus sacks in a season since DE Aaron Kampman in 2006. Additionally, the Smiths became the first duo in NFL history to both register 12-plus sacks in their first season as teammates, the first tandem in team history (since 1982) to both register 12-plus sacks in the same season and only the second duo in Packers history (since 1982) to each have 10-plus sacks in a season (Reggie White, 13.0 and Bryce Paup, 11.0 in 1993).
Amos joined the Packers after four seasons (2015-18) with the Chicago Bears and was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl in 2019 after finishing No. 3 on the team with 87 tackles (64 solo) in his first season with Green Bay. He helped the defense rank No. 9 in the NFL in points allowed (19.6 ppg), the first time the Packers finished in the top 10 in the league in that category since 2010, No. 6 in opponent passer rating (81.1) and tied for No. 7 in takeaways (25). Turner spent time with the Miami Dolphins (2014-16), Baltimore Ravens (2016) and Denver Broncos (2016-18) over five seasons. Originally selected by the Dolphins in the third round (No. 67 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, he started all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2019, opening every game at RG for the Packers. He was part of an offense that ranked No. 8 in the NFL in red-zone TD percentage (64.0) and tied for No. 7 in rushing TDs (18), the most by the Packers since 2009 (20), and was a member of a line that helped the Packers register 10 games with two or fewer sacks, tied for No. 9 in the NFL.
Gutekunst entered the 2019 NFL Draft with 10 picks, including two first-round selections, and for the second consecutive draft maneuvered in the first round to get a player he wanted. At No. 12 overall, Gutekunst selected LB Rashan Gary out of the University of Michigan, who twice was honored as an All-Big Ten first-team selection (2017-18). Gutekunst then packaged the No. 30 pick with a pair of fourth-round selections in a trade with Seattle for the No. 21 overall pick that he used on University of Maryland S Darnell Savage. In his rookie campaign in 2019, Savage earned PFWA All-Rookie team honors after starting all 14 games he appeared in and recording 61 tackles (41 solo), a tackle for a loss, a team-high two forced fumbles, two interceptions (tied for No. 2 on the team), seven passes defensed, a QB hit and two QB pressures. He was the only NFL rookie to register multiple INTs and multiple forced fumbles in 2019 (according to Sportradar). In the second round, Gutekunst selected G Elgton Jenkins out of Mississippi State, who played in all 16 games and started the final 14 contests of the season at left guard as a rookie in 2019. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team, only the second Packers guard to be selected since 1974 (Daryn Colledge, 2006). Jenkins also helped clear the way for RB Aaron Jones, who posted a career-high 1,084 rushing yards and a career-best 16 rushing TDs, which was tied for the NFL lead in 2019 and was the second most in a season in team history behind only FB Jim Taylor (19 in 1962).
Armed with a league-high 12 selections entering the 2018 NFL Draft, Gutekunst was active. The first round saw him trade the Packers' selection (No. 14) to New Orleans for the Saints' first-round pick (No. 27) and a fifth (No. 147) in 2018, and a first in 2019. Moments later, Gutekunst traded the No. 27 pick, a third (No. 76) and a sixth (No. 186) to Seattle for their first (No. 18) and a seventh (No. 248). With the 18th choice in the first round, Green Bay selected Louisville CB Jaire Alexander. In a matter of minutes, Gutekunst added one of the top cover corners to bolster the Packers' defense, while also keeping an eye on the future with the acquisition of an additional first-round pick. When the draft concluded, Gutekunst had added 11 players to the Packers' roster in his inaugural draft class.
His initial draft class provided the team with immediate returns as it accounted for 50 starts in 2018, the most by the Packers since 2006 (66 starts). Green Bay was one of only five teams in the league to have three rookies start 10-plus games (Alexander with 11; CB Josh Jackson and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling with 10) in 2018 (Oakland had four, Cleveland, Indianapolis and the N.Y. Giants had three). Additionally, Alexander was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team, becoming just the second Packers CB to be honored since 1974 (Casey Hayward, 2012). In 2019, Alexander was named a Pro Bowl alternate after starting all 16 games and leading the team with a career-high 23 passes defensed.
"We could not be more excited to elevate Brian to the position of general manager," said team President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Murphy at the time of Gutekunst's promotion. "He has earned this opportunity throughout his 19 years with the Packers, proving to not only be a skilled talent evaluator, but a trusted and collaborative leader. His time under the direction of former Packers general managers Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson will undoubtedly serve him well as we work toward our next Super Bowl championship. I am confident that he is the man that will help get us there."
Prior to his promotion, Gutekunst served as Green Bay's director of player personnel (2016-17) and director of college scouting (2012-15) after spending his first 13 seasons with the club as a college scout. He served as an East Coast regional scout for his first two years (1999-2000) before switching to the Southeast region (2001-11).
Possessor of prior professional scouting and college coaching experience upon joining Green Bay on a full-time basis late in 1998, Gutekunst gained his first NFL experience in the summer of 1995 when he assisted the coaching staff of the New Orleans Saints with the offensive line during training camp. Gutekunst's initial exposure to the Packers came in the summer of 1997 when he worked as an intern in the team's scouting department.
His first full-time appointment in professional scouting was in 1998 as a scouting assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs. After one year with the Chiefs, Gutekunst returned to the Packers when he was named a college scout for the East Coast by Wolf on Dec. 30, 1998.
Gutekunst earlier had played two years of college football for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He then became an assistant coach for the team during his final two years at the school (1995-96) after a shoulder injury cut short his playing career. Serving as a linebackers coach during the 1995 season, he helped the school to the Division III national championship as the Eagles finished with an unblemished record of 14-0. Gutekunst has a degree in sports management.
He and his wife, Jen, reside in Hobart with their daughters, Marley, 15, Joie, 14, and Kacey, 9, and son, Michael, 11.
