Mark Murphy finds new purpose in retirement at UW-Green Bay

GREEN BAY — Mark Murphy no longer runs the Green Bay Packers. But if you think retirement has slowed him down, think again.

Instead of Lambeau Field, Murphy now spends his days inside the Kress Events Center at UW-Green Bay, mentoring coaches, advising leadership and helping Phoenix Athletics navigate one of the most unpredictable eras in college sports history.

“Oh yeah,” Murphy said when asked if retirement is everything he thought it would be. “I’m having fun.”

Murphy officially joined UW-Green Bay in August as the university’s inaugural Executive in Residence. The title may sound formal, but the role is wide ranging and hands on. He works closely with Chancellor Mike Alexander and Athletic Director Josh Moon, offering guidance on fundraising, strategic growth, and long-term sustainability for the Division I athletics program.

“I’m retired, but I want to still stay active,” Murphy said. “When the opportunity arose to be the Executive in Residence, it didn’t take me long to think this would be something that would be really good — hopefully good for the school and good for me as well.”

Murphy said he and his wife always planned to remain in Northeast Wisconsin. With a home in Door County and ownership of Maxwelton Braes Golf Course, the region is home in more ways than one. Staying local made the UWGB opportunity even more meaningful.

Murphy has focused much of his attention on fundraising and relationship building. Those areas he believes are critical as college athletics continues to evolve through NIL opportunities and transfer portal changes.

“So important in all aspects of the university,” Murphy said of fundraising. “And I think particularly now with NIL and kind of the transfer portal related to it, that’s really important in athletics, being able to raise money.”

He understands the changing environment perhaps better than most. While professional sports operate with collective bargaining agreements and defined salary structures, Murphy sees college athletics as having a far less structured environment.

“What’s going on in college athletics now, especially at the Power Four conference level, it’s a wild, wild west,” he said. “It’s changing rapidly.”

Murphy offered a comparison from his NFL experience while also making it clear he supports student-athletes benefiting from their name, image and likeness.

“I was always in favor of student-athlete rights,” Murphy said. “It’s just gone a little too far.”

He explained that the current structure lacks the guardrails that exist in professional sports.

“What’s happening in college athletics now would be the equivalent of in the NFL if we had no salary cap and you could be a free agent every year,” he said. “It’d be crazy.”

Murphy emphasized that athletes deserve opportunities to earn compensation, especially given the time and energy they invest. At the same time, he believes the pace of change has created unpredictability that schools like UWGB are still learning to manage.

Rather than criticize from the sidelines, Murphy is choosing to help institutions adapt. He works closely on fundraising efforts for athletics and the university, helps mentor coaches and staff, and stays involved with student-athletes by offering guidance on their development and future careers.

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the coaches,” Murphy said. “Mentoring them and working with Josh [Moon] as well.”

For Murphy, being back in a college environment feels natural. Before his time leading the Packers, he spent 17 years as a college athletic director. That background makes this chapter feel less like a new venture and more like a return.

“I loved my work as a college athletic director,” he said. “This is kind of going back to my roots in terms of athletics.”

He has also found fulfillment in working directly with student-athletes — something that differs from his executive level NFL role.

“I really enjoy being around the student-athletes and getting to know them,” Murphy said. “Talking to them about what’s going to happen, kind of life after sport.”

He encourages athletes to take full advantage of their time in college, both on and off the field.

“First of all, savor and enjoy your experience as it goes quickly,” Murphy said. “And don’t view athletics as an end in itself. View it as a means to an end.”

He believes the discipline, teamwork and resilience learned through sport provide lasting value.

“No matter what you end up doing after you graduate, the lessons you learn from athletics will really be invaluable,” he said.

Outside of campus life, Murphy is embracing retirement in other ways as well. Time at his golf course in Door County provides balance, and he remains active in community efforts throughout the region. The shift from the nonstop demands of the NFL to a more flexible and meaningful schedule has allowed him to choose projects that matter deeply to him.

He also continues to serve as a bridge between UWGB and the broader Green Bay community. His longstanding ties, including years serving on the university’s Council of Trustees, give him a unique perspective on how athletics, business and education cross paths in Northeast Wisconsin.

Chancellor Alexander described Murphy’s addition as inspiring for the campus community. Athletic Director Josh Moon echoed that sentiment, noting the value of having Murphy’s experience in UWGB’s corner during uncertain times in Division I athletics.

For Murphy, the role is less about titles and more about contribution.

Retirement has not meant stepping away from leadership. It has meant redefining what it means to him.

Instead of running the NFL’s most storied franchises, Murphy is now investing his energy into strengthening a growing university and mentoring the next generation of leaders.

And by his own account, that is exactly where he wants to be.

“I’m having fun,” he said again, smiling.

For the former Packers president, retirement is not a finish line. It is a return to the college roots that first shaped his career, and a chance to invest in the future of athletics right here in Green Bay.