Mark Murphy life and biography

Mark Murphy is a former American Football safety for the Washington Redskins who played eight seasons in the National Football League from 1977 to 1984. On December 3, 2007, he was revealed as the new Green Bay Packers President and CEO .

• Serves on the NFL’s Management Council Executive 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 Super Bowl championship team of 1982. Earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1983.
• Served as Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including position of vice president of players union (1983-84).
• Holds law degree from Georgetown University (1988) and M.B.A. 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 NFL Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002) and currently serves on the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-present).
• 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.family.

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 M.B.A. 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 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.

Since moving to Green Bay, Murphy has engaged in a busy schedule of meeting with fans and shareholders, as well as speaking to a variety of business and community groups, all in the process of learning about the area in which he now lives. He also has given his time to several community organizations in the area to help their causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors of the Positive Coaching Alliance, 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.

Mark and Laurie have four children: Katie, 27, a graduate of Harvard who played basketball for the Crimson and now works at Credit Suisse in New York City; Emily, 25, a 2008 graduate of Middlebury (Vt.) College who now works in New York City at Blue State Digital, an Internet strategy and technology firm, after working on then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign; Brian, 21, a senior at Amherst (Mass.) College and wide receiver for the school’s football team (2009 conference champions; undefeated season); and Anna, 19, a sophomore at Northwestern University.

Away from work, he enjoys playing golf, fishing and participating in various forms of exercise, including bicycling, cross-country skiing and jogging.

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