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| Thompson wins executive award |
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by TOM SILVERSTEIN
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, JSonline.com
Mar. 26, 2008
Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson has done things his way without wavering from his philosophy of building through the draft and spending the majority of his salary cap dollars to retain those players.
On Tuesday, his way was validated - at least as far as developing the roster that led to a 13-3 season and an NFC Championship Game appearance last season are concerned - when he was named The Sporting News' George Young National Football League executive of the year.
The national magazine polled a total of 48 NFL general managers and front office executives and Thompson came out on top with 19 votes, 10 ahead of second-place finisher Jerry Reese, general manager of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.
New England vice president of personnel Scott Pioli finished third with eight votes. Nine others received at least one vote each.
"I'm honored to receive this award on behalf of the Green Bay Packers," Thompson said on the team's Web site. "We view this as a team honor and feel the coaches, players and staff should all be very proud of the job they've done in helping this franchise succeed.
"This award is a credit to their dedication and is particularly special because it's named for George Young, who was a tremendous champion for the NFL and a person I greatly admired."
Young is the former general manager of the New York Giants and the 1997 recipient of the executive of the year award. He died in December 2001.
Thompson was rewarded for building a roster that was strong enough to win the NFC North division title, but most of his best work was done before last season. In 2007, his best moves were drafting wide receiver James Jones and kicker Mason Crosby and trading a sixth-round pick for running back Ryan Grant.
The addition of Grant proved to be a catalyst for the team's late-season success.
About two-thirds of the roster at the end of last season consisted of players Thompson has brought in, but some of the top ones, including quarterback Brett Favre, end Aaron Kampman, receiver Donald Driver, cornerback Al Harris, tackle Chad Clifton, tackle Mark Tauscher and defensive tackle Corey Williams, already were on the team when Thompson arrived in 2005.
Thompson's body of work will be scrutinized closely this year after the retirement of Favre. Thompson's first No. 1 pick as Packers general manager, Aaron Rodgers, will take over for Favre.
Former general manager Ron Wolf was the last Packers recipient of the award, earning the honor in 1992. |
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