It’s Super Bowl week, and while the Green Bay Packers won’t be taking the field on Sunday, their fingerprints are all over this game. Two of the most important decision-makers in the NFL’s biggest showdown-Seattle’s John Schneider and New England’s Eliot Wolf-cut their teeth in Green Bay’s front office. And their rise to the top offers a timely reminder of just how far the Packers’ influence stretches across the league.
Let’s start with Schneider. He’s been the Seahawks’ general manager for 15 years, but before that, he was a key part of the Packers’ scouting department, learning under the legendary Ron Wolf.
In Seattle, Schneider built a juggernaut during the “Legion of Boom” era-those teams weren’t just good, they were dominant. But like all great runs, that window eventually closed.
The roster aged, key pieces left, and the team hit a wall.
To his credit, Schneider didn’t cling to the past. He made bold, franchise-altering decisions-like trading away Russell Wilson and D.K.
Metcalf-and took a chance on Sam Darnold when few others were willing to. But the real magic came in the draft.
Schneider got back to what made him successful in the first place: identifying talent and building through youth. Those picks hit, and suddenly, Seattle was back in the mix.
Then there’s Eliot Wolf, who’s had a whirlwind six-year run with the Patriots. After two years as a consultant and two more as Director of Scouting, he stepped into the top personnel role just as the Belichick era ended.
That’s no easy act to follow. The team was coming off a 4-13 season, and the rebuild was on.
Wolf’s first draft class was shaky-until it wasn’t. The selection of quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick changed everything.
It was a move that echoed the Packers’ 2020 draft, when they took Jordan Love despite plenty of controversy. But in New England’s case, the decision was more straightforward-and the results have been immediate.
Fast forward to the 2025 draft, and Wolf absolutely nailed it. Seven of his picks played meaningful snaps this season.
That, along with some savvy free-agent additions and the hiring of Mike Vrabel, helped the Patriots flip the script. They finished 14-3 and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl.
That’s a meteoric rise by any standard.
So where does that leave the Packers?
Brian Gutekunst has kept Green Bay competitive, no question. Aside from his first year-when the team bottomed out and Mike McCarthy was shown the door-the Packers have made the playoffs in five of seven seasons.
Even this year, despite a rash of injuries to key players like Micah Parsons, Kraft, Tom, and Jenkins, the team stayed in the hunt. That speaks to depth and resilience.
But here’s the thing: while Gutekunst has done a solid job keeping the floor high, the ceiling hasn’t been reached. The Packers haven’t made it to a Super Bowl during his tenure.
That’s the reality, and there’s no way around it. Schneider’s done it.
Wolf’s on the verge. Gutekunst?
Still knocking on the door.
Which brings us to this offseason-a pivotal one for Gutekunst’s legacy.
The roster is going to change. Some free agents will walk.
Others might be cap casualties. And with no first-round pick (thanks to the trade for Parsons, which no one’s complaining about), the margin for error is razor-thin.
This draft has to deliver. Not three years from now.
Right now.
That means prioritizing players who are ready to contribute immediately-not just long-term projects with upside. Gutekunst has leaned on that developmental approach in the past, but with Jordan Love entering his prime and Parsons anchoring the defense, the window is open now.
There’s urgency. And the Packers have to draft like it.
If Gutekunst is looking for a blueprint, he doesn’t have to look far. Schneider and Wolf-two guys who once walked the same halls in Green Bay-have shown what it takes to turn things around in a hurry. They’ve taken big swings, trusted their evaluations, and built rosters that can compete at the highest level.
It’s Gutekunst’s turn now. The opportunity is there.
The foundation is in place. What happens next could define the next chapter of Packers football.
Go Pack Go.