Mark Hodge Murphy (born July 13, 1955) is the current President & Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers, an American Football franchise competing in the National Football League. Prior to that, he was the athletic director at Northwestern University and Colgate University. He also enjoyed a successful playing career in the NFL as a safety for the Washington Redskins for eight seasons from 1977 to 1984.
Named Packers President/CEO on Dec. 3, 2007, by Packers Board of Directors; formally assumed position on Jan. 28, 2008.
Serves on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, Competition Committee and Health and Safety Committee.
Served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Northwestern University (2003-07) and Colgate University (1992-2003) prior to joining Packers.
Enjoyed an eight-year NFL playing career with the Washington Redskins (1977-84); served as co-captain from 1980-84, including the Super Bowl championship team of 1982. Earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1983.
Is believed to be the first person to earn a Super Bowl ring as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a team chief executive (XLV, 2010).
Served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of players union (1983-84).
Holds law degree from Georgetown University (1988) and MBA in finance from American University (1983).
Served as assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association (1985-88) and as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (1989-92).
Served on the NFL Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002), the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12) and currently serves on USA Football’s board of directors.
While a player with the Redskins, participated in the highest-scoring game in Monday Night Football and Green Bay Packers history, a 48-47 defeat to the Packers on Oct. 17, 1983, at Lambeau Field.
Mark Murphy, possessor of extensive experience in professional football and sports administration, is in his sixth year as the Packers’ President and CEO.
Under Murphy’s guidance, the organization continues to rank as one of the NFL’s premier franchises, with highly successful operations both on and off the field. On the field, the team has compiled a 58-30 overall record (.659), made four straight playoff trips, captured two consecutive division titles and earned a victory in Super Bowl XLV. Off the field, the club continues to perform well in its business efforts, which allows the organization to support football operations. The fan experience at Lambeau Field, a top priority for the organization, continues to be ranked among the best in sports.
It was a direction both Murphy and the organization envisioned when Murphy was elected by the Packers Board of Directors as the franchise’s 10th Chief Executive Officer on Dec. 3, 2007. He began his work with the organization as president-elect on Jan. 1, 2008, and then formally took over on Jan. 28, 2008.
“I am honored to have been selected and very appreciative of this tremendous opportunity,” Murphy said the day of his election. “The Packers are one of the great franchises in all of professional sports, with a rich history and incredible fan support. These are successful times for the Packers. On the field they’re performing well, and off the field, they’re in great shape, too. I look forward to being a part of that continued success.”
Murphy, who holds a law degree and an MBA in finance, brought a unique and highly qualified background to his role as head of one of the NFL’s flagship franchises, first drawing from a deep understanding and appreciation of the game that comes from an eight-year playing career with the Washington Redskins. Later, he served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Colgate University and Northwestern University, and was an assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.
In addition to his playing career and work with the NFL Players Association, Murphy had maintained his ties to the NFL through his work on the Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002) as well as the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12). Additionally, his NFL experience now includes Super Bowl wins as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a CEO (XLV, 2010), believed to be the first such achievement in NFL history.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, recognizing the unique experience and skills Murphy brought to the NFL as the Packers’ CEO, in 2008 appointed him to the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, the NFL owners’ committee whose responsibility was to serve as the bargaining team during negotiations with the NFL Players Association which resulted in a new, 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2011. The position has allowed Murphy to increase his involvement and contributions at the league level, ensuring the organization has a voice in NFL matters.
“Mark’s rare blend of experiences makes him integral to the future of the Packers and the NFL,” said Goodell when appointing Murphy. “His accomplishments as an NFL player, his work with the NFLPA, and now his leadership of the Packers, provide a unique perspective to the league and also to the players. He’s very effective in discussions with NFLPA executives. Mark is a bright and thoughtful individual who understands what needs to get done to create a system that benefits all sides for years to come. He is very reasonable and wants what’s best for fans, the game and players, as we all do.”
In 2012, Goodell added to Murphy’s NFL-level involvement by naming him to the important Competition Committee, the group composed of team executives and coaches that studies all aspects of the game and recommends rules and policy changes to NFL clubs. Goodell also placed Murphy on the NFL owners’ new Health and Safety Committee.
Upon joining the Packers, Murphy broadened his knowledge of the franchise, its operations and its standing in the community by meeting with employees, shareholders, fans and members of the Board of Directors, as well as many community groups.
Among his first initiatives was to update the organization’s strategic plan, a process involving all the leadership positions of the organization, including the Executive Committee and football operations. The process created core objectives to serve as a backdrop for all key business decisions. In a move to enhance those objectives, Murphy restructured the management of the organization, which included creating a new senior-leadership staff overseeing administration, finance, football operations and sales and marketing. The structure reflected the growth the organization has experienced in recent years and gives broader coverage across all operations with more people involved on a senior-management level.
Murphy also is directing the organization’s master plan involving Lambeau Field, the Lambeau Field Atrium, the practice facilities and property the organization owns adjacent to the stadium. Lambeau Field and the Atrium currently are undergoing a $286.5 million, five-year expansion and renovation that includes a new distributed-audio sound system (2011), two new HD video boards and a new Bellin Health Gate on the north end of the stadium (2012), and approximately 7,000 additional seats in the south end zone served by the Shopko Gate (2013). The Atrium phase includes a larger Oneida Nation Gate (2013), new football facilities (2014) and a new Packers Pro Shop, Hall of Fame and restaurant (2015).
To support the Lambeau Field expansion project, Murphy directed the Packers’ fifth stock sale, an effort that netted the organization more than $64 million. More than 268,000 shares were sold during the offering, from Dec. 6, 2011, through Feb. 29, 2012, with more than 250,000 new shareholders joining the Packers’ family. All stadium improvements are being financed without public tax money.
Among the other initiatives Murphy has directed is the enhancement of the organization’s retail operations, including the purchase of a new warehouse for the Packers Pro Shop, and the establishment of a customer relationship management (CRM) program, with both efforts upgrading customer service to Packers fans.
Murphy also has worked to increase the number of outside events utilizing Lambeau Field, including a Kenny Chesney concert in June 2011, the venue’s first major concert since its redevelopment; and LZ Lambeau in May 2010, a welcome back for Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans. Additionally in the community, Murphy has ensured the organization remains a strong community partner, with a charity impact of $6 million in the past year.
Inside the organization, Murphy continues to grow and develop the team’s human resources, with new programs for employees such as leadership development.
The 58-year-old Murphy joined the Packers after 4½ years (2003-07) as director of athletics at Northwestern University. At the Big Ten Conference school, Murphy oversaw a 19-sport program with a $40 million budget and 160 full-time employees. During his tenure, the school won eight individual national championships and three NCAA team titles. Additionally, the university won nine conference team championships and 34 individual Big Ten titles. A total of 49 Wildcats earned first-team All-America distinction. On the football field, the Wildcats participated in two bowl games during Murphy’s tenure after playing in just four previous such contests in the program’s history. In 2006-07, Northwestern finished 30th in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings with a school-best 626.5 points. The Wildcats ranked among the top 30 in the standings for the last three years of Murphy’s tenure and in 2007 finished sixth among Big Ten schools for the third straight year after previously not placing higher than ninth.
The school’s athletic success under Murphy was achieved while its student-athletes continued to excel off the field. The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released in October 2007 reported Northwestern’s rate at 98 percent, tying it with Notre Dame and Navy for tops in the nation.
Prior to his tenure at Northwestern, Murphy served as director of athletics at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. (1992-2003), the school from which he graduated in 1977. During his 11 years at the helm, the university experienced a renaissance of its football program, going from 0-11 in 1995 to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. In 2003, the year after Murphy’s departure to Northwestern, the team made it to the championship game; the achievement of that squad – a non-scholarship program – remains one of Murphy’s proudest moments.
Colgate’s other teams experienced success as well, with men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s softball and men’s ice hockey teams making NCAA Tournament appearances. The school also achieved graduation rates among the highest for student-athletes in Division I during Murphy’s tenure. A proud alumnus, Murphy had the honor of delivering the commencement address for the university’s 2012 graduation ceremony.
Murphy played college football at Colgate University where he was also a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, before his NFL career and while playing for the Redskins he obtained an MBA from American University's Kogod School of Business in 1983. Murphy graduated with a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1988.[2]
Murphy played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XVIII with the Washington Redskins. He played a key role in the Redskins 27–17 Super Bowl XVII win over the Miami Dolphins, recording a second half interception of Miami quarterback David Woodley's pass with the Dolphins on Washington's 37-yard line.
Murphy's best season was in 1983, when he led the NFL with nine interceptions and returned them for 127 yards. He finished his eight season career with 27 interceptions and 282 return yards, along with six fumble recoveries for 22 returns yards, in 109 games. He also made the Pro Bowl in 1982 and 1983.
Murphy was the Redskins representative to the NFL Players Association. He played a visible role in the players' strike that caused the cancellation of seven games during the 1982 season. He suspected that the Redskins' decision to release him after the 1983 season and the reluctance of any other team to sign him was retribution for his union activity.
A former All-Pro safety for the Washington Redskins, Murphy enjoyed an eight-year career (1977-84) after originally signing with the team as a non-drafted free agent in 1977. He was a co-captain from 1980-84, a period that included two Super Bowl teams (1982-83). He enjoyed his finest season in 1983, leading the NFL with nine interceptions and earning consensus All-Pro honors as well as a trip to the Pro Bowl. Murphy was named as one of the Redskins’ “70 Greatest Players,” as well as one of the “80 Greatest Redskins,” and also is a member of the club’s 50th Anniversary Team.
Joe Gibbs, the Hall of Fame former coach of the Redskins who led the team during Murphy’s 1981-84 seasons, was appreciative of the player’s contributions and lauded the Packers’ hiring of Murphy.
“Mark meant a lot to the Redskins organization the years he was here and played,” Gibbs said. “He was a great person along with being one of the brightest and most competitive people we’ve had here at the Redskins.”
Gibbs had an influence on Murphy as well, as the Packers’ CEO attributes much of his leadership style to what he learned from the successful Redskins coach.
“He had many leadership traits that I admired and tried to incorporate into my own leadership style,” said Murphy. “He had a very natural way about him with the way he related to people, and he tried to be accessible. He was a very effective communicator, too, as most great leaders are. And when he worked with you, he was very fair and sincere. All those skills and traits fueled his awesome ability to motivate his teams.”
A natural leader among his teammates, Murphy served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of the players union (1983-84). While a representative, he served on the players’ bargaining committee during the 1982 players’ strike. Those experiences have served him well in his role on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee.
During his days with the Redskins, Murphy earned an MBA in finance from American University in Washington, D.C., attending classes full-time in the offseason and evening classes in-season. Upon completion of his playing career in 1985, he joined the NFL Players Association as assistant executive director. While with the NFLPA, Murphy served on the bargaining team, including during the 1987 players’ strike, developed the agent-certification system and strengthened the PA’s degree-completion and career-counseling programs.
While with the NFLPA, he started work on a law degree from Georgetown University and ultimately finished his studies full-time after leaving the Players Association. Upon receiving his law degree in 1988, he worked at a Washington, D.C., law firm (Bredhoff and Kaiser) before becoming a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in 1989.
During a four-year career with the Department of Justice, he primarily represented government agencies in trials. Then, in 1992, his alma mater called and he returned to the sports realm.
At ease in public settings and with the media, Murphy enjoyed hosting a weekly radio show during his playing days and later became a sports commentator for National Public Radio (1983-92) and the Anheuser-Busch Radio Network (1986-88), offering his insights into football and sports-related legal issues in general.
Born July 13, 1955, in Fulton, N.Y., Murphy spent some of his formative years in the Houston area before moving back to the Buffalo-area community of Clarence. He was a three-sport star (football, baseball and basketball) at Clarence Central High School and was named the best all-around athlete in Western New York during his senior year. His baseball talents drew attention from Major League scouts. In 2002, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements both on and off the field.
Murphy and his wife, Laurie, who also is a Colgate graduate, have been involved in the communities in which they’ve lived. Over the years the couple has donated their time to numerous organizations, including local schools, the United Methodist Church in Hamilton, N.Y., and the First Congregational Church of Evanston, Ill. Also while in Chicago, Murphy served on the bid committee for the 2016 Olympics which eventually was awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While at Colgate University, Murphy formed the Hamilton Youth Basketball League and served as its commissioner. Heavily involved in the community while with the Redskins, Murphy was named the team’s “Miller Man of the Year” in 1984 in honor of his work off the field.
In Green Bay, Murphy continues a busy schedule of meeting with fans and shareholders, as well as speaking to a variety of business and community groups. He also has given his time to several community organizations to help their causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Murphy also serves on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s council of trustees and on the boards of directors of USA Football and the Positive Coaching Alliance, the latter an organization created to transform the culture of youth sports to give all young athletes the opportunity for a positive, character-building experience. Mark and Laurie are also active supporters of foster-care services in Brown County. Additionally, Laurie established Ladies of Lambeau, a group composed of female employees and board members, and wives or partners of employees, board members, players and coaches. The group undertakes projects that will make a difference in the lives of people near and far, including packaging meals for the hungry in Africa and making blankets for residents at area nursing homes. The group also distributes grants to Wisconsin charities chosen by its volunteers.
Mark and Laurie have four children: Katie, 30, a graduate of Harvard who played basketball for the Crimson and now works at Credit Suisse in New York City; Emily, 28, a 2008 graduate of Middlebury (Vt.) College with a Chinese degree who now works for Digitaria in San Diego; Brian, 24, a graduate of Amherst (Mass.) College who played football for the Lord Jeffs and now works for Woven Digital in New York City; and Anna, 22, a recent graduate of Northwestern University who now works for Fox Sports in Los Angeles.
Away from work, Mark enjoys playing golf, fishing and participating in various forms of exercise, including bicycling, cross-country skiing and jogging.
Murphy moved back to Hamilton, New York, to become the athletic director at Colgate University in the early 1990s through until 2003. Murphy then lived in Evanston and served as the athletic director at Northwestern University. On December 3, 2007, he was revealed as the new Green Bay Packers President and CEO.[3] On February 6, 2011, Mark Murphy's Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV, giving Murphy his second Super Bowl victory.
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