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- Mar 19, 2019
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That success formed the core of a draft-and-develop philosophy that helped the Packers, under McCarthy’s on-field leadership, win six NFC North titles, earn nine playoff berths – eight in a row from 2009-16 – and advance to four conference championship games, including in the title-winning 2010 season.
“It’s unbelievable, because to do that you need to be so consistent year in and year out,” Reinfeldt said. “You’re going to get injuries, you’re going to get bad breaks, and you have to have a philosophy that can allow you to win every year. I think that’s what he was able to do.
“Even developing the young players, that makes your organization work together. The coaches have to buy into it, the players have to buy into it, everybody works together, there‘s teamwork. If you work hard and you play well you get rewarded. I just think he came up with a long-term philosophy that people bought into.”
It succeeded for so long, McCarthy became the only head coach Thompson ever hired.
“Obviously Mike is really a good coach, but additionally the two of them worked so well together for so many years,” Reinfeldt said. “The trust factor, the agreeing on players and developing players. I think you kind of have to be joined at the hip, and those two guys were. I think that’s part of why it worked so well.”
They had to be in lockstep at the most critical juncture for the two of them, the summer of 2008 when Favre wanted to come out of retirement but the team was moving on with Rodgers at quarterback.
Rodgers recorded a video message for the ceremony that spoke to his gratitude for Thompson “believing in” him and “backing” him at that time.
“Through that process, he remained calm and showed he wasn’t afraid to make a difficult decision and stick with it,” current Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said in his induction remarks. “With Ted, it was never about him. It was always what’s best for the Packers.
“What really stands out to me is the consistency,” Murphy added, speaking of Thompson’s teams in a way that also applies to his personality. “Everything is designed to make it difficult to win that way, but you look at what Ted accomplished, it’s remarkable.”
The legacy he leaves also lies in those who worked for him and climbed the ladder like he did. In attendance to honor him were John Dorsey, Reggie McKenzie and current Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, who have all risen to the top personnel job with NFL teams. So has John Schneider, who orchestrated his own Super Bowl team in Seattle and had a video message played.