Mark Murphy is taking his football résumé back to the classroom.
The former Green Bay Packers president and CEO, and a Super Bowl-winning safety for Washington, will lead a three-part webinar this fall through the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s enrichment program. The series, titled “The Evolution of American Football,” will trace the game from its 19th-century roots to the modern NFL.
Murphy, now executive in residence at UWGB, is set to break down the sport’s growth through rule changes, leadership choices and the key moments that helped turn football into America’s most popular game. His background gives him a wide-angle view: he grew up in northern New York, attended Colgate, later served as athletic director there, played in Super Bowls in 1983 and 1984, and worked for the NFL Players Association and the U.S.
Department of Justice. He was also athletic director at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, before the Packers hired him at the end of 2017.
The webinars run from noon to 1 p.m. on Sept. 8, Oct. 13 and Nov.
- Registration for all three sessions costs $119 and is available at uwgb.edu/enrichment/evolution-of-american-football.
The presentations will focus heavily on the Packers, while also placing the team in the broader story of the sport.
The first session, on Sept. 8, will cover the game’s early development, including its roots in rugby and soccer in the 1800s, Walter Camp’s influence, the first college game, the early formation of leagues, the origins of the NFL, and the founding of the Green Bay Packers. It will also touch on the early championships and milestones that helped define football.
On Oct. 13, Murphy will move into the Super Bowl era.
That session will examine the creation of a rival league and the path to the Super Bowl, Vince Lombardi’s leadership and championship run, the Packers’ role in boosting the NFL’s popularity, and the transition that followed Lombardi. It will also include a memorable moment from the team’s rebuilding years.
The final webinar, set for Nov. 10, will look at the Packers’ resurgence and their place in the modern game. Topics include the team’s current era and community impact, the leaders behind the 1990s turnaround, Super Bowl success and steady competitiveness, the evolution of Lambeau Field and the Green Bay market, and another championship run in the 2000s.
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