Entering his 23rd season overall with the Packers and fourth as the team's general manager, Brian Gutekunst was named to his position on Jan. 8, 2018. During his time with the club, he has helped lead the Packers to 15 playoff appearances, 11 division titles, six appearances in the NFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl title (XLV).
In his three seasons leading the Packers' personnel department, Gutekunst (GOO-tuh-kunst) has maintained an aggressive approach to building the roster, leading to immediate results the past two seasons. For the second consecutive season in 2020, Green Bay posted a 13-3 record and captured the NFC North crown while also earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time since 2011. It was just the second time in team history that the Packers won 13-plus games in back-to-back seasons (13-3 in 1996 and 1997). His roster additions helped lead the Packers' 13-win improvement over Green Bay's previous two seasons (13 wins in 2017-18), the biggest two-season win improvement in franchise history, eclipsing the previous mark in 1959-60 (15 victories after the Packers won four games in 1957-58).
Over his three seasons constructing the roster, Gutekunst has signed or drafted six players that earned The Associated Press All-Pro honors, were named to the Pro Bowl or were selected as Pro Bowl alternates. His first pick as Packers general manager, CB Jaire Alexander, earned a spot on the All-Rookie team in 2018 and in 2020 he was named to the Pro Bowl while also earning second-team All-Pro honors from AP. Drafted by Gutekunst in 2019, G Elgton Jenkins also garnered All-Rookie team honors and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020.
Gutekunst's fourth draft in 2021 saw him make nine selections as he infused the roster with talent from major-college programs and addressed several needs. With the No. 29 pick in the first round, the Packers selected CB Eric Stokes, who appeared in 36 games with 25 starts during his three seasons at Georgia and posted 78 tackles (60 solo), a sack, four INTs, two INT returns for TDs, 26 passes defensed and a forced fumble. He started at CB in all nine regular-season games as a junior in 2020, earning first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors from AP after ranking tied for No. 2 in the conference and tied for No. 8 in the nation with four INTs. Stokes was also tied for No. 2 in the country in 2020 with two INT returns for TDs and was named to the preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award (collegiate defensive player of the year) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player). In the second round, Gutekunst turned to offense and selected C/G Josh Myers, who played in 30 games in three years and started 21 of his final 22 contests at Ohio State. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches in 2020 and was a Rimington Trophy finalist, an award given to the nation's best center. Never afraid to move around in the draft, Gutekunst packaged third- (No. 92 overall) and fourth-round (No. 135 overall) picks to move up seven spots (No. 85 overall) in the third round to select Clemson WR Amari Rodgers. Rodgers finished his career at Clemson ranked No. 6 in school history in receptions (181) and No. 12 in receiving yards (2,144) and was one of only five players at Clemson from 2000-20 to record touchdowns by rush, reception and punt return in his career. He earned first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a senior in 2020 after recording career highs in receptions (77), receiving yards (1,020) and receiving TDs (seven).
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). 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). As a rookie, Dillon appeared in 11 games and had 242 rushing yards and two TDs on 46 carries (5.3 avg.) and added two receptions for 21 yards (10.5 avg.). He also played in both postseason contests. In Week 16 against the Titans, Dillon saw his most significant action as a pro and posted a career-best 124 yards rushing and a career-high two TDs on 21 carries (5.9 avg.). He became the first rookie in franchise history to rush for 120-plus yards and two TDs in a game.
A quartet of other 2020 draft selections also made strong impressions in their rookie seasons. TE Josiah Deguara (third round, Cincinnati) started the season opener in Minnesota to become just the second rookie Green Bay TE since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start in Week 1 (Richard Rodgers, 2014). LB Kamal Martin (fifth round, Minnesota) played in 10 games with six starts, recording 23 tackles (17 solo), a sack and three tackles for a loss. G Jon Runyan (sixth round, Michigan) was the only Green Bay rookie to appear in every game, seeing time on offense and special teams, and also appeared in both postseason contests. S Vernon Scott (seventh round, TCU) played in 15 games and registered seven tackles (all solo), a sack, two tackles for a loss and six special teams tackles.
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 has proved instrumental in the Packers' run to consecutive NFC North division titles and back-to-back appearances in the NFC Championship Game.
Preston Smith, originally a second-round pick of the Washington Football Team, 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 in 2019 as an injury replacement and was again named to the Pro Bowl in 2020 while also earning second-team All-Pro honors from the AP. In 2019, 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. His 26 sacks the past two seasons are the most by a Packer in his first two seasons with the team. 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 with 13.0 and Bryce Paup with 11.0 in 1993).
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). Over the past two seasons, Savage has posted six INTs, tied for No. 6 among NFL safeties over that span, and according to stathead.com, the most by a Packers safety in their first two seasons since Tom Flynn (10) in 1984-85. In the second round, Gutekunst selected 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 put together an even more impressive second campaign in 2020 as he started all 16 games, opening 12 at LG, three at C and one at RT en route to his first Pro Bowl selection. He became just the third offensive lineman in franchise history to make the Pro Bowl within his first two seasons in the NFL (Derel Teteak, 1952 as a rookie; Charley Brock, 1940 in his second season). Jenkins saw action at four different spots on the line in 2020 (LT, LG, C, RT) and became the first Green Bay offensive lineman to start a game at guard, center and tackle in the same season since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. He helped the Packers rank tied for No. 2 in the NFL in sacks allowed (21), the fourth fewest by Green Bay in a 16-game season.
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 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, 16, Joie, 15, and Kacey, 10, and son, Michael, 12.
