When the Green Bay Packers hired Brian Gutekunst as general manager, that raised one fairly substantial question. What happens with Eliot Wolf.
Wolf is the Packers’ director of football operations. He was considered a strong candidate for the position his father Ron once held. The position that went to Gutekunst. Wolf was interviewed for the job, but passed over.
It is rumored that Gutekunst and team president Mark Murphy are working hard to convince Wolf to stay in Green Bay. However, that doesn’t appear likely based on everything we are hearing.
Ron Wolf didn’t appear too pleased that his son didn’t get the job.
“At least he had the opportunity to interview for it,” Ron Wolf told ESPN. “Obviously the people up there don’t think he’s worthy or they would’ve hired him. End of discussion.”
That doesn’t sound like a happy guy. Eliot Wolf is probably less happy.
The pervading idea is that Wolf, like Alonzo Highsmith before him, will join John Dorsey with the Cleveland Browns. It’s not quite that simple though.
The Packers would have to agree to let Wolf out of his contract, unless he’s being given a promotion. That would mean a general manager job. Highsmith was reportedly going to get the assistant general manager title in Cleveland. So if Wolf went to the Browns, he’d be taking a demotion.
If Wolf wants to leave, we doubt the Packers would stand in his way at this point. However, it is their right to do so barring an opportunity for a promotion.
Wolf does potentially have a couple other options. Both the Seattle Seahawks (John Schneider) and Oakland Raiders (Reggie McKenzie) have former Packers’ personnel executives as general managers.
It is assumed that Wolf will get a general manager job at some point. Does it really matter where he bides his time?
Wow, Ron Wolf doesn’t sound happy one bit. Especially after last year when the Packers blocked Elliot from interviewing for other GM positions.
Ron Wolf of anyone knows no job is a given. Wolf was always looking to replace any player, or front office personnel with someone better. To the Packers Gutekunst was a better chose than Wolf. The question remains what were all the individuals agenda’s who were making the GM decision.
If it comes to Wolf wanting out. Wolf signed his contract. Wolf is a big boy he knows what was on the pages of that contract. If there were no out clauses, or you are going to get the job clause (which there wasn’t or the Packers would not have brought in a Rooney rule candidate) then Wolf really should not complain publicly. Wolf sure as hell can be disappointed as should his father.
The Packers should be firm about another team plucking Wolf for a lateral move. You cannot just let other teams, such as the Browns take your guys with no compensation. The Packers have put time and money into Wolf. Packers should not make it easy for other teams to raid there front office or scouting departments.
But then again, do you want someone high up in your organization that doesn’t want to be there, and/or has bitter feelings?
It’s true, the Wolf’s know the score, but we don’t know what’s been said and transpired over the last handful of years to keep Wolf on ice.
So without knowing the facts, nothing would surprise me on what went on there with Ted and Murphy at the controls. whatever happens there with Wolf, happens.
Agreed. I think Eliot has to feel pretty disenfranchised right about now and if he does, I think it’s probably best for both parties to split ways to spare the animosity. Especially after the Packers barred him from several interviews over the past couple of years. I think it’s highly likely he feels like e was stringed along and led to believe he was going to follow in his father footsteps.
Personally, I was rooting for him because we know what his pedigree is and what his management philosophy would have been. It wasn’t the fresh, outside perspective a lot of us wanted, but at least we knew it was a change in the philosophy most of us endorse. I wish they would have promoted him to EVP instead of Ball. Numbers are analytical, and there are a ton of people out there who can manage finances well. Evaluating talent is a less objective talent and harder to replace.
Maybe he’s too young, maybe he doesn’t interview well, maybe he seen as just a little too green still… who knows. I am happy with Gutekunst though. He would have been my second choice given all the dead ends the Pack hit while trying to bring in external candidates.
The least I can hope for is that in all the denials to interview elsewhere, and raises they gave Eliot to keep him aboard these past couple of years, that they were upfront with him about having a fair opportunity succeed Ted. I hope they didn’t string him along with the presumption that he would, in fact, replace him. Because that will indeed spawn some incredible resentment – I’m not sure how you could tame that situation from becoming toxic.
Yes we should get a high draft pick from Cleveland for losing highsmith to them and this is where I think Green Bay is just a bunch of idiots for not requesting draft picks for losing him
They’re too busy trying to re-coup the Martellis Bennett signing bonus…lol.
How’s that coming along Murphy?
The Packers, slowly working their way back as the welcome mat into the NFL. Wipe your feet please.
No matter who the packers hired as GM there was always going to be someone who felt slighted. That’s the downside to having great talent in your organization. Personally I was pulling for Wolf to get the job, but I love the Gutekunst hire at the same time. I can completely understand the frustration and bad feelings that can come up for the Wolf family considering all they’ve done for the packers, all of our success from 1991 to now is due to Ron Wolf and his people. At the same time this is a decision that’s best for the packers. Wolf is only 35. While I think he’s qualified for the job right now I also believe that Gutekunst is better prepared for it. I wanted Wolf because all he’s known his whole life is the packers organization. I’d feel pretty betrayed if I were him right now, but at the same time I think he’ll come around and stick with the team. By all accounts he and Gutekunst have a great work relationship and I think it’s better for him in the long run to stay in Green Bay.
It’s tough for me to see the Wolf family have any animosity towards Green Bay but I believe it’s temporary. He’s spent his entire adult life with the Packers and I think that bond is stronger than getting passed over for a GM job at age 35. Really hope he sticks around, would love to see him take the reins one day. But I believe in Gutekunst right now.
While the packers organization owes Ron Wolf the world for turning the franchise around, that doesn’t extend to hiring his son. Maybe Wolf will be a great GM someday, better than Gutekunst perhaps. But you can’t make a hire out of a favor. You have to pick your best candidate and move forward. He will get an opportunity. I will say both were probably qualified for the job. It’s too bad Wolf will probably leave the organization, because I feel like he will probably get a chance with the packers at some point.
The details are probably a bit more complicated than that Kato. I never heard anyone say anything about hiring Elliot as a favor.