Note: A news conference has been announced for 1 p.m. at Lambeau Field. Click here to listen live then to WTMJ.
Watch live below:
As the “Titletown Turnover” continues, Packers president Mark Murphy will have a more direct role in the chain of command for football operations.
Coach Mike McCarthy, new general manager Brian Gutekunst and newly named executive vice president and director of football operations Russ Ball will all report to president Mark Murphy.
That came as part of the news the Packers shared making the hire of Gutekunst and the promotion of Ball official.
“The process of identifying our next general manager gave us the opportunity to analyze our entire football operation,” said Murphy in a team statement.
“We had some breakdowns in communication…(I asked) what would be the best way to improve communication, improve collaboration…how do you knock down those silos?” he added in Monday’s news conference.
This wil be the first time in Packers history that a head coach who is not simultaneously a general manager will directly report to the team president.
“While we have enjoyed a lot of success, we need to improve. With that in mind, the head coach, general manager and executive vice president/director of football operations will report to me moving forward. While I understand this is a departure from the Packers’ current structure, it will serve to increase the breadth and frequency of communication and collaboration. Ultimately, it will make the Packers better.”
Murphy explains that seven of the NFL’s 12 playoff teams this year have a similar operational style, compared to the “vertical” setup of having a coach report to a general manager, who reports to ownership.
Gutekunst takes over in what he calls his “dream job.”
“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,” said Murphy in the team statement.
“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.”
Under Ted Thompson’s 13-year GM tenure, the coach – who was McCarthy the final 12 years – reported to Thompson.
“First, I’d like to thank my mentor, Ted Thompson, for his friendship, and I am happy that we will continue to have the chance to work together,” Gutekunst said in the team statement. He has been with the Packers for 19 years, longer than anyone in the team’s football operations.
“I want to thank Ron Wolf for giving me my first opportunity with the Packers, and of course Mark Murphy for the faith and trust he has placed in me moving forward. And finally, I must thank my wife, Jen, and our children for their constant sacrifice and unwavering support despite all of the time I have spent on the road and away from home. I look forward to getting to work with the rest of our talented personnel department and using every avenue available to build the Packers into a championship team again.”
Gutekunst and Ball were reported to be the three GM candidates from within the organization, with director of football operations Eliot Wolf not chosen for the job as well.
“Since joining the Packers in 2008, Russ has proven to be invaluable,” said Murphy in the team statement. He added that Ball will continue to run the salary cap and contract negotiations.
“His salary-cap management and negotiating abilities are well known, but he has also provided tremendous leadership throughout football operations and served as a valuable liaison between the football and business sides of the organization. His diverse skills will remain important to our success moving forward, and I look forward to working with him even more closely in his new role.”
