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List of Green Bay Packers general managers

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The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers have competed in the National Football League (NFL) since 1921, two years after their original founding by Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun.[1] They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) and play their home games at Lambeau Field in central Wisconsin.[2][3] In 1923, a publicly-owned, non-profit organization called the Green Bay Football Corporation (later reorganized to the Green Bay Packers, Inc.) was formed to take control of the Packers organization. The corporation was led by a board of directors that included an executive committee and a president.[4] In addition to co-founding the team, Lambeau was also the first head coach of the Packers.[5] In those early years as head coach, Lambeau managed the football operations of the Packers, which included acquiring players, negotiating contracts and serving as a spokesperson.[6] However, it was not until 1946 that he was formally given the title of general manager.[7] The general manager typically leads a team's football operations, which can include hiring coaches, leading the scouting department and overseeing player transactions (like signing, releasing, trading or drafting players).[8] Each team's reporting structure can differ, although the general manager usually reports to the team's owner or president (in some teams, the general manager role is merged into other positions, like the owner or the head coach).[8][9][10]

Lambeau held the general manager title until he left the Packers in 1949, after which it formally remained vacant for five years, although head coach Gene Ronzani had the power to sign players and served as the team's spokesperson.[7][11] In 1954, Verne Lewellen, a former player for the Packers, was hired as the team's first standalone general manager.[12] In the years following Lewellwn's tenure, the general manager title was joined with the head coach. This included the tenures of Vince Lombardi, Phil Bengtson, Dan Devine and Bart Starr from 1959 to 1980.[7] Lombardi's tenure saw the Packers win five NFL Championships, including the first two Super Bowls (I and II) while the Packers winning percentage during his time (.717) was the highest of any Packers general manager.[13][14] However, Lombardi's successors at the general manager position fell short of expectations, culminating with the Packers relieving Starr of his general manager duties in 1980; the title remained vacant for 12 years thereafter, with the responsibilities vested in other executive titles or head coaches, including future team president Bob Harlan, Tom Miller, Dick Corrick, Forrest Gregg and Tom Braatz.[15][16][17] However, in 1991, Harlan, as president, reorganized the Packers football operations and hired Ron Wolf to take on the position of general manager.[16] After Wolf retired, the general manager position and duties were briefly merged back with the head coach position with the hiring of Mike Sherman. After a poor season in 2004, Sherman was stripped of the general manager duties but stayed on for one more season as head coach. Ted Thompson was hired in 2005, returning the Packers to the model of having a standalone general manager.[10] Thompson served as general manager until 2017; Thompson's tenure of 13 seasons and 125 victories are both the most of any Packers' general manager.[7][14] Brian Gutekunst, who was hired in 2018, is the tenth and current general manager of the Packers.[18]

General managers

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Key
† Inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
‡ Inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame

Note: Team records accurate as of the end of Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season

General managers of the Green Bay Packers
Image General manager[a] Tenure (seasons)[b] Team record[c] Notes Refs
W L T %
– Vacant 1921–45 – – – – Prior to receiving the formal title of general manager, Curly Lambeau was the head coach of the Packers, although he also managed the team's football operations.[6] During his tenure as head coach, the Packers won six NFL Championships.[5] [7][14][20]
Portrait of Lambeau standing on a field Curly Lambeau ‡ 1946–49[d] 17 29 1 .372 Lambeau resigned both the head coach and general manager positions in early 1950 after a disagreement with the Packers board of directors regarding a contract extension, as well as other financial challenges.[22]
– Vacant 1950–53 – – – – After Lambeau resigned, the Packers hired Gene Ronzani to be the team's next head coach. During Ronzani's tenure, he had responsibilities similar to that of a general manager, like signing players, but he was never given the title.[11][7]
Portrait of Lewellen from a newspaper clipping Verne Lewellen † 1954–58 18 41 1 .308 Prior to his time as general manager, Lewellen played for the Packers from 1924 to 1932.[23]
Headshot of Lombardi smiling Vince Lombardi ‡ 1959–68 95 36 5 .717 Lombardi served as head coach and general manager simultaneously. During his tenure, the Packers won five NFL Championships, including the first two Super Bowls (I and II). Lombardi resigned as head coach after the 1967 NFL season to focus on his role as general manager for the 1968 NFL season before resigning to lead the Washington Redskins.[13]
Phil Bengtson † 1969–70 14 14 0 .500 Bengtson was Lombardi's hand-picked successor.[24] He took over as head coach for the 1968 NFL season before taking on the general manager duties after Lombardi resigned. Prior to these roles, Bengtson was the Packers defensive coordinator from 1959 to 1967.[25]
Portrait of Devine standing on a field Dan Devine 1971–74 25 27 4 .482 Devine held both the head coach and general manager positions during his tenure with the Packers.[26]
Headshot of Starr from a playing card Bart Starr †[e] 1975–80 31 57 2 .356 Starr held both the head coach and general manager positions from 1975 to 1980. He was relieved of his general manager duties but continued as coach until 1983.[28]
– Vacant 1981–91 – – – – After Starr was relieved of his general manager role, Bob Harlan and Tom Miller assumed these duties.[29] However, when Forrest Gregg was hired as head coach before the 1984 NFL season, he was "given full responsibility for football operations", although he was specifically not given the title of general manager.[15] In 1987, Packers president Robert J. Parins stripped Gregg of some of his duties and hired Tom Braatz to be the team's executive vice president of football operations.[30][31] Braatz would serve in this role until he was fired in 1991 and Ron Wolf was hired to be the team's general manager.[16]
Ron Wolf ‡ 1992–2000 92 52 0 .639 During Wolf's tenure, the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI.[32] In 1992, Wolf was named the NFL Executive of the Year.[33]
Portrait of Sherman in a stadium Mike Sherman 2001–04 44 20 0 .688 Sherman held both the head coach and general manager positions from 2001 to 2004. After his first season as Packers head coach in 2000, Wolf retired and Sherman took over the general manager position. He was relieved of his general manager duties but continued as coach until 2005.[10]
Portrait of Thompson standing on a field Ted Thompson † 2005–17 125 82 1 .603 During Thompson's tenure, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV.[34] In 2007 and 2011, Thompson was named the NFL Executive of the Year.[33]
Brian Gutekunst 2018–2024 62 37 1 .625

Notes

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  1. ^ This list of general managers reflects the Packers own determination of who held this specific title.[7][19] It does not include Packers executives who may have handled some or most of the typical job duties of a general manager at specific times in the organization's history (like Gene Ronzani, Tom Miller, Dick Corrick, Forrest Gregg and Tom Braatz) but who had a different title.[15][16][17]
  2. ^ The tenure listed here reflects the NFL seasons that were played during the respective general manager's time in that role, which correlates to the team record shown in the next column.
  3. ^ The Packers regular season wins/losses/ties during the tenure of each general manager. Overall team records were compiled by adding the yearly regular seasons records of each Packers season during the general manager's tenure. Playoff records are not included.
  4. ^ Sources differ on exactly when Lambeau was formally named general manager, although he acted as the de facto general manager for his entire tenure with the Packers.[5][6][21] The Packers reported 1946 as the first year he was the official general manager.[7]
  5. ^ Although Starr was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he was recognized for his contributions as a player, not as an executive.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "History of the Green Bay Packers". Packers.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "2023 NFL Division Standings". NFL.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Lewis, Robert (December 4, 2023). "Lambeau Field". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  4. ^ "Packers History". Packers.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Christl, Cliff. "Earl "Curly" Lambeau". Packers.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Packer Prospects Good for 1941; Coach Lambeau". Green Bay Press-Gazette (clipping). August 5, 1941. p. 11. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Personnel | Packers 100 Seasons". Packers.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Pioli, Scott (September 4, 2013). "10 Things I Learned About Being a General Manager". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "Executives". DallasCowboys.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c McMahon, Todd (March 12, 2015). "Mike Sherman's 'emotional' return to Green Bay". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Coaches Hail Packer Center Tonnemaker". Green Bay Press-Gazette (clipping). July 7, 1950. p. 35. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Verne Lewellen". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 21, 2017. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Christl, Cliff. "Vince Lombardi". Packers.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  14. ^ a b c "Green Bay Packers Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Dawning of The Gregg Era". The Journal Times (clipping). Associated Press. December 25, 1983. p. 1B. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c d Ryman, Richard (October 31, 2018). "Former Green Bay Packers football VP Tom Braatz dead at 85". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Green Bay Packers' Statement On The Death Of Dick Corrick". Packers.com (Press release). April 23, 2008. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  18. ^ "Brian Gutekunst". Packers.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  19. ^ "Green Bay Packers 2023 Media Guide" (PDF). Packers.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame". Packers.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  21. ^ "Curly Lambeau". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  22. ^ Fleming, David (September 19, 2013). "Blaze of Glory". ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  23. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Verne Lewellen". Packers.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  24. ^ "Ex-Lombardi Aide Ends 3-year Stay". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 23, 1970. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  25. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Phil Bengston". Packers.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  26. ^ "Dan Devine Dies At 77; Remembering His Packers Career". Packers.com. May 8, 2002. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  27. ^ "Bart Starr". ProFootballHoF.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  28. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Bart Starr". Packers.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  29. ^ "Little change predicted in Packer operation". Wasau Daily Herald (clipping). Associated Press. January 9, 1981. p. 5. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ Langenkamp, Don (February 1, 1987). "Parins' move wasn't new idea: Part 1". Green Bay Press-Gazette (clipping). p. C-1. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ Langenkamp, Don (February 1, 1987). "Parins' move wasn't new idea: Part 2". Green Bay Press-Gazette (clipping). p. C-2. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Ron Wolf". Packers.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Treacy, Dan (February 1, 2023). "History of Sporting News' NFL awards: Full list of past winners, voting results from 1954-2023". SportingNews.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  34. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Ted Thompson". Packers.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
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