Did you see it? This morning, Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson, in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, spoke to the local and national media for the first time since the start of last season. His performance was underwhelming.
If you can handle 11 minutes and 20 seconds of extreme discomfort, here’s the video.
I previously wrote about Thompson in January. Instead of starting off with how well he has done with his draft picks, I pointed out his that he seemed to be lacking “the mental sharpness, the energy, or the rigorous mind needed to make complex analyses of player talent.”
Today’s performance bears this out.
I don’t blame Thompson for who he is or for his decline, which is an inevitable part of the aging process. I do, however, urge him to do what’s best for our team – his team – and tender his resignation.
This unfortunate situation didn’t just unavoidably happen.
Though Mark Murphy was named Green Bay Packers President and CEO in 2007, it was Bob Harlan who hired Thompson in 2005. Before that, coach Mike Sherman was both head coach and general manager – like Belichick, Lombardi, etc.
Clearly the GM job isn’t even a full-time gig.
Murphy, however, has steadfastly been a big supporter of Thompson. In 2014, Thompson’s 10th season with the team, Murphy declared that a new contract for Thompson was “a top priority” for the franchise. At the time, Thompson was believed to have been contracted through the 2016 draft. Murphy said he wanted to secure a new contract for Thompson before coach Mike McCarthy’s contract ran out after the 2015 season.
On July 30, 2014, the Packers announced that Thompson had signed a new, multi-year contract with the team, which apparently runs through the 2018 draft.
Thompson said at the time:
“Mark Murphy and I have had ongoing conversations. I felt very appreciated by the organization and honored to work with such fine people. The more you think about it the more you wonder how nuts are you to walk away from something like this?”
When asked at that time how long he would continue at the job, Thompson replied:
“I think I’ll just let it play itself out. It seems to me a lot of people can be very productive late in life. I feel pretty energized to keep going.”
Ted Thompson, energized? I went back and found a video from three years ago, when Thompson made his annual appearance at the 2014 NFL Combine:
This was five months before Murphy extended Thompson’s contract. Based on the clip from 2014, can anyone deny that Thompson was “slowing down” even then?
As an aside, I submit that coaching and GM changes should be made shortly after a season’s end. I understand the argument for the GM and scouting personnel to maintain continuity, but it’s still a lousy idea to have an outgoing GM preside over a draft and then hand the baton off to a new GM. I wonder how other teams time such transitions.
Wasn’t it utterly likely when Murphy worked up Thompson’s new contract that Thompson’s acuity four years down the road would become marginal or unacceptable for such a demanding and high-pressure job? What was the need for an almost four-year extension? A two- or even three-year extension, maybe.
What was to be gained by tying up the team for four years – by which time Thompson will be 65 years old? Does anyone think Thompson was being lured with other offers or that he was threatening to leave if he wasn’t contracted into 2018?
Mark Murphy did a ludicrous thing. It’s up to him to do what he can to minimize the damage. He needs to try to negotiate an early out of this contract. Though we don’t know how much Thompson is being paid, if Thompson won’t agree to depart early, then Murphy should replace him anyway.
The Packers have at least two possible replacements waiting in the wings and are likely to lose those candidates by 2018. Thompson should do the gracious and unselfish thing by making way for the next GM.
If the Packers must absorb the cost of continuing to pay Thompson and paying a new general manager, Murphy should voluntarily have his annual pay halved for the next year.
Man up Murphy and assume accountability for your colossal and irrational business decision.
Or are the bank accounts of these two wealthy men more important than the best interests of the team they each profess to love?
I don’t feel like copying exact quotes but here we go:
“The priority is always resigning our own guys to keep the group together.” No, the priority is to put together a team that can realistically compete for a Lombardi trophy. You owe nothing to those players. If they havent shown the ability to be a playmaker after four years, then you owe them nothing. They failed, move on and find someone else.
“We find that players in this organization, retired ones, respect the organization for trying to keep you. Again, no. That is dumb. Your priority is to win championships. Of course you want players to respect your organization, but one of the best ways to do that is win. If they had mutual respect for the organization, they would do these things called “hometown discounts.” Which don’t exist, because money is the one thing on these guys minds. Tom Brady is probably the closest thing to doing this, by taking paycuts.
Plain and simple….this freak of nature has assembled a team that without Rodgers at best is 3-13. That’s too much for that gap toothed asshole to fathom. Not to worry, old energized Ted will stick around as long as AR is around. Draft and develop….so sick of this same old bulsshit every single year. His high picks suck and they develop dick! Belichek would have won minimum 3 SB’s by now with this team.
No, he wouldn’t have. Maybe if he was GM. With his team and him running the show they have two super bowls since 2004
lol….That’s one more than we have since 2004 Kato. And just to keep it real, He’s won 5 Super Bowl’s the last 16 seasons.
How many Super Bowls have the Packers won in the last 16 years? Yea, that Belichick, what a loser….lol. He’s no Mike McCarthy is he Kato?
I can’t believe you’d “rip” a guy for “only” winning 2 Super Bowls in 12 years…lmao
Belichick has been to 7 Super Bowls, won 5 of them, in 16 years.
You are one special kinda special Kato.
Like i always say, without stupid people, we’d have no one to laugh at. So take time to thank stupid people for their contribution.
Thank you my friend.
Hah, funny one peanut gallery. I wasn’t putting Belichek down in any way. If he was simply head coach and had no say in personnel, he would have two super bowls, tops, with Aaron Rodgers. Let’s be real here, PF4L, how many super bowls did Belichek win with Brady under a rookie contract? Or with Brady playing under a restructured contract that allowed the pats to go after a guy like Revis? Maybe Rodgers should approach the organization and offer to restructure his contract and play for $16 million like Brady has, and the packers use that extra $6 million or so to sign an extra guy or two? If course that works best if you have a GM willing to dip into FA. Thanks for your understanding.
Kato…i digress, you are brilliant!!!….You may be right about Rodgers. Maybe he should play for less. so then the Packers could sign more talent. Hell, maybe you were right when you said the Packers should trade Rodgers and start Hundley because he’s cheaper.
Now…with that said…Are you ready to learn something little man?…Good, then keep reading.
Why the fuck, should Rodgers take a pay cut? To sign more talent? Golly Gee Kato…Couldn’t Ted use those extra funds he has left under the salary cap every year to sign talent? But in your wisdom (lol) you think Rodgers should take a cut and give TED what…an extra 5 million to sit on? GEE….why didn’t i think of that….lol
Makes perfect fucking sense to me little man. I really think you’re on to something. Obviously you really have taken the time and thought all this through to come up with that great business plan.
And…come up with your own closing catch line.
Thank you for understanding, and yes…..you’re welcome.
Note: I said “if” Ted would dip into free agency smartass. I wouldn’t take a pay cut if I were him either. Management doesn’t have a commitment to winning
That toothpaste is a bitch gettin back in the tube..amirite little man?
Now……About trading Rodgers………………..
Bobby D, his contract is up after next season.
Ive got sizzle…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tslGf5z9brs
“If you can handle 11 minutes and 20 seconds of extreme discomfort, here’s the video.”
Which is actually 55 seconds long, but thanks for trying Rob.
Try this….http://www.packers.com/media-center/videos/Thompson-Were-off-to-the-races/264f7a38-3fa0-4c7c-b690-ea0dc86b82dd
How long does he want to talk about the importance of signing his own players….i mean fuck dude, we get it. Then he says how the players appreciate it….ok, good, no shit they do, you over pay them you fucking assclown. Tell us something we don’t know.
I don’t mind signing your own players, especially if you picked better players. Just because you drafted them, doesn’t mean that they are the ones to lead you to a Championship, fuckhead.
This is our leader? Seriously? This walking corpse is about exciting as a stale green jelly bean.
Opening remarks…
Ted Thompson: “We’re excited being here at the combine, and it’s ummm…. it’s a yearly event……and by the time we get done, were just ahhhm, very tired and ummm all out of sorts.”
You hear that reporters…the draft is a yearly event and they need a nap afterwards!!!
Ted Thompson: “Our Division is extraordinarily competitive”……….Take Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre away for the last 25 seasons and that might actually be true.
In a different interview…Ted: “We try to win the Super Bowl each and every year..we came up short a few times.”
Or, more accurately for him, 11 times.
When asked about a push to the SB considering he’s getting older, and Rodgers is getting older…
Ted: “It doesn’t matter how old we are, we’re going to try to do the exact same thing every year, we’re going to try and get to the Super Bowl and win it.”
Hmmm..interesting….You do the exact same thing every year, you get in the playoffs and lose, how’s that been working out for you Ted?
Ted: “Well, when we won the Super Bowl back in….ahh (5 second delay for thinking) 20………10.”
You have to think back to which year you won it? Seriously?
I have a thought every time i click on various football websites, looking to see a headline about Ted resigning. I’m also looking to win the lottery.
I love this team more than i can say. I loathe every fucking day these assclowns are still in charge.
It’s cruel….and seriously greuling to diehard Packer fans, Just fucking painful.
I think some of you can appreciate why i didn’t mind a losing season, for the rest that didn’t understand, i give no fuck about you anyway.
But hey….We got in the playoffs, that’s what matters………..right?
That’s a real accomplishment, having one of the greatest NFL QB’s of all time, and you make the playoffs. A real accomplishment in the fierce NFC North.
The result of 2011 draft, where the Packers build a team through draft and develop and sign their own.
Currently one player from that draft class on the Packers roster.
Things said after the 2012 draft….currently one player from that draft class on the roster on a D & D team who signs their own.
Thompson: “I think we’ve helped our team”
(10:00) Posted Apr 27, 2012
Capers: “This has been a productive draft”
(5:10) Posted Apr 27, 2012
Currently 3 drafted players from 2013 on the Packers roster from a D & D team that signs their own.
That’s a total of 5 players out of 29, and 3 drafts. 6 players if you count the 2010 draft and 4 drafts
Anyone still buying into this D & D and sign your own philosophy? It clearly hasn’t worked, and that’s why our defense sucks, were paying for past mistakes now.
Look at drafts 3-5 years down the road to judge a draft. Don’t make dumbass judgements that it was a productive draft a day after the draft, like Capers did, you end up looking like a fool.
Because the Packers treat front office contracts like they contain nuclear arsenal secrets, there’s some confusion over when Thompson’s contract runs out. News stories differ, but it’s most commonly said (or assumed) that his contract runs “through the 2018 season.” However, it has been customary to have the Packers’ GM contracts not end until the subsequent draft is completed. Therefore, I believe that Thompson is contracted through late April 2019 – when the draft following the 2018 season is concluded. I anyone has different info, please advise.
That’s the way i read it.
Packers expect Ted Thompson to return as general manager
Ted Thompson is signed as the Packers GM through the 2019 draft.
by Brian Jones Jan 27, 2017 • 1 min read UPDATE Jan 27, 2017, 3:02pm
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/packers-expect-ted-thompson-to-return-as-general-manager
PF4L TT will probably be gone by then. And his contract is up after that.
Mr. Rob…..
I read one article where it was said that Ted is signed through the 2019 draft, which i posted under a different article. It sounded legit, but you never know.
Also…the jist i get from Murphy, is that he feels out of place regarding anything Ted Thompson, because in Murphy’s mind…Ted was here before Murphy, so it’s not his place. I know it sounds fucked up, but that’s what i got from him. Which to me…as i’ve stated before, is derelict of duty on Murphy’s part. If Murphy doesn’t feel like that’s his call, then he’s not strong and worthy enough to be the President of the Green Bay Packers. They both need to go.
I’ve said all along, Ted doesn’t have a boss. Because Murphy refuses to be his boss. Murphy has said nothing, or done anything, to give anyone any impression or reason to believe that Ted answers to him. I wouldn’t be shocked if Murphy answered to Ted, but then i wouldn’t be shocked, if they didn’t talk to each other at all.
This team will be in need of repair when this clown show disperses. You’d think Bob Harlan would have whispered in Murphy’s ear by now and asked him …wtf are you doing?
Nobody appears to give a shit anymore, welcome back to the 70’s and 80’s.
Ted Thompson at the Combine: ‘We’re getting paid for one thing: win a Super Bowl’
Then i guess ya’ll better grab your check books and give half that money back to the Packers.
Now it’s one thing, winning the Super Bowl?…But after losing to the Falcons, it was still a successful season?….fuck you…make up your mind.
If you are serious about winning the SB then stop being lazy.
He’s realy liking that pullover isn’t he. New lining inside the collar though. Patch it up you know so it’s good for some two years more.
Maybe Ted will be advised by his doctor to leave his line of work.