GREEN BAY, Delete. Former Packers general manager Ted Thompson – who drafted Aaron Rodgers, exchanged Brett Favre and built the team that won Super Bowl XLV – has passed away, according to coach Matt LaFleur. He was 68.
Thompson, who played for 10 seasons in the NFL with the Houston Oilers (1975 to 1984), was Packers general manager from 2005 to 2017. The Packers put him in an advisory role for the 2018 season, in part because of his declining health.
In May 2019, after being admitted to the Packers’ hall of fame, Thompson announced he was suffering from autonomic dysfunction, a condition that causes weakness and cognitive problems. Packers president Mark Murphy did not cite Thompson’s health as the reason for the decision to fire him as general manager immediately after the 2017 season.
Thompson said at the time of his announcement that his doctors did not believe his condition “fit the profile of someone who suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.”
“Our condolences go out to his family,” LaFleur said Thursday. “He’s definitely a man who is highly valued in this building and I think it’s just about the competition. He’s had a huge impact not only on the people in this building and of course Gutey. [current Packers GM Brian Gutekunst] and many of our personnel people, as well as people from other departments. His impact can be felt to this day when you look at our roster, but I think he has had a huge impact on a lot of people in the league when you look at the other GMs who learned under him.
‘So we are certainly sitting here today with a heavy heart. I’ve only had a chance to meet him a few times over the years, but I just know how important he was to a lot of people in this building. ‘
Thompson’s first design pick as Packers general manager was Rodgers, who fell to Green Bay at No. 24 overall.
Before the 2020 draft, Gutekunst, who served as a scout under Thompson, called that decision brave, as the Packers still held Favre at a high level.
“To have the courage to do that then, and what that one decision did for the organization for how many years later, that stuck with me,” said Gutekunst. ‘It could have been really easy to do something else. He thought that was the right thing to do, and he did. That always sticks with me. ‘
Weeks later, Gutekunst would select quarterback Jordan Love in the first round.
Thompson oversaw Rodgers’ move to Favre and traded Favre to the New York Jets in August 2008. Although Thompson angered some fans for a design-and-development plan – largely ignoring Mike McCarthy, who Thompson in 2006, assembled a team that reached four NFC title games (2007, 2010, 2014, 2016) and made eight consecutive playoff appearances (2009 to 2016).
One of Thompson’s first assignments as a Packers scout in 1992 was to watch a film about Favre and give an evaluation to then-GM Ron Wolf, who was considering trading in for the quarterback.
“[Wolf] left me in a dark room, and I looked some of it, and he comes back and he says, “Well, guess what?” Thompson told ESPN in 2016. ” And I said, “What do you think?” And he says, “I like him. I think I’m going to trade him a number 1. ”I said, ‘I think you should.’
He didn’t need any help, but I’ve said this before: Brett, that limited time he got to play in Atlanta, wasn’t all that nice. But it was nice when he joined the Green Bay Packers. ”
Thompson worked for the Packers as a scout until 1999, when he joined Mike Holmgren in the Seattle Seahawks. In 2005, Bob Harlan, then President of Packers, lured him back to Green Bay by making him general manager for the first time.
“I saw him come in and join us when he was very green and worked for Ron Wolf, a demanding boss, and he was so good that Ron promoted him twice,” said Harlan at Thompson’s introduction to the Packers’ hall of fame. . “The first man Mike Holmgren wanted to take to Seattle was Ted Thompson. Ted went to Seattle, built a Super Bowl team and I thought when it came time for us to find someone, he was the one I wanted. “
The mild-mannered Thompson often eschewed the spotlight, but occasionally let his wry sense of humor shine through. He was self-deprecating about his playing career, which consisted largely of special teams, and was widely respected by his players.
“He’s not a man of many words, but he always has a positive attitude,” former Packers security guard TJ Lang told ESPN in 2017. “He always has a smile on his face. You can certainly see that when the guy is at the top., The leader of your team, feels that way about your team, it definitely rubs on the guys.
Among the Thompson draft picks still on the roster are Rodgers, kicker Mason Crosby, offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, center Corey Linsley, wide receiver Davante Adams, backsliding Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.