How a Buffalo Bills fan became transformative Green Bay Packers leader
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) — The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame announced Monday that current Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy will become the 171st inductee in August.
Murphy, though destined for greatness as a standout athlete and high school student, seemed unlikely to ever be associated with the Packers until joining the team by chance in December 2007.
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He grew up far from the Midwest as a Buffalo Bills fan in Fulton, New York. He played football and baseball at Colgate University and went undrafted in 1977. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent and spent eight seasons—the entirety of his professional playing career—with the team.
He was the co-captain of the 1982 team that won Super Bowl XVII and the following NFC championship before losing to the Los Angeles Raiders in the Super Bowl.
Murphy worked for a few years at the NFL Players Association and as a lawyer before returning to Colgate University in 1992 as athletic director.
In 2003, Murphy moved to the Midwest to take on the role of athletic director at Northwestern University, putting him a state and four years away from the Packers.
“Taken a chance on somebody who had really no connection to the Packers. And as I said before, it’s really flown by,” Murphy said. “I wasn’t looking to leave Northwestern. I would say, though, in retrospect, I’m really glad I got out of college athletics when I did, those of you that follow college athletics, and NIL and conference realignment.”
Murphy succeeded Bob Harlan and believes his successor, Ed Policy, will continue to improve the team.
“In my position, I always wanted to leave the organization better than I found it,” Murphy said. “And I know Bob did the same thing, and I have a lot of confidence Ed Policy will going forward.”
Capturing the Super Bowl in 2011 was Murphy’s favorite accomplishment in Green Bay, but it is also just another bullet point on a herculean laundry list of successful and transformative plays he called for Green Bay.
Parting ways with two all-time great quarterbacks. Changing the chain of command so that the head coach, general manager, and executive vice president and director of football operations all report directly to him starting in 2019. Purchasing the land surrounding Lambeau Field to create the Titletown District. Holding two sales of the team’s stock to fund two renovations of Lambeau Field.
“[We take] great pride in Lambeau Field and how it’s viewed, not only across the league but also internationally as an iconic stadium, and making sure that continues to be the case,” he said.
Through it all, Murphy has only gone through one general manager and one head coach with the appointments of Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur.
“I’ll be forever grateful to him, but I also think just having to get to work with him the last six years, he’s a great leader that allows you to go do your job,” LaFleur said.
With high expectations for this season, Murphy knows that his last major act will be hosting the 2025 NFL Draft, which he played a crucial role in bringing to Titletown.
“With the draft coming, I think that’s something that we have the opportunity to benefit this community for many, many years to come,” he said.
The mandatory age the Packers require their leader to retire is 70, which Murphy will turn on July 13, 2025, the day he’ll retire.
“When I took the job 17 years ago, I knew well that at age 70 I’d be retiring. I didn’t realize it would come as fast as it did. I thought, ‘That’s way down the road,’ but no, it’s good for the organization. Ed Policy is ready and will do a great job,” Murphy said. “I still feel like I can, I’m active, I’ll stay busy and continue to look for things to keep busy and support the local community.”
One thing he plans to stay busy doing is spending time at his Door County golf course, Maxwelton Braes Golf Course, which he purchased in 2023 with his wife.
President/CEO Mark Murphy to be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
It’s been quite a run far from home for the western New York Bills fan.
“In my mind, it’s one of the very best jobs in all of professional sports.”
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