http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=721255

Tension with GM led to Brandt's exit
Thompson chose to part ways with him
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Feb. 22, 2008
Indianapolis - Andrew Brandt didn't just leave his job last month as the
Green Bay Packers' vice president of player finance. His contract was not
renewed by Ted Thompson, the team's general manager.

Sources told the Journal Sentinel that Brandt, who in nine years of handling
contracts built an enviable reputation among agents and fellow team
negotiators, didn't conform to Thompson's definition of being a so-called
"team guy" and was let go in a face-to-face meeting Jan. 25.

On Jan. 28, the Packers sent out a press release in which the club and
Brandt jointly announced that he would be "leaving the organization to
pursue other opportunities."

In reality, sources said, Brandt wanted to continue in a position that was
paying him about $475,000 per year and was caught almost completely
off-guard by Thompson's decision.

Although Brandt's contract wasn't to expire until March 31, Thompson made
the decision last month so he would have time to hire a replacement before
the start of free agency next Thursday and the new league year. On Feb. 13,
Russ Ball of the New Orleans Saints was signed and, a few days later,
assumed his new duties.

On Friday, Thompson declined to explain his decision to oust an employee who
had been hailed by former President Bob Harlan in the team's 2007 media
guide as "a wonderful benefit to the team."

"I'll just stand by my original statement and Andrew's original statement,"
Thompson said during the NFL scouting combine.

Brandt, who also was in Indianapolis exploring what he said were "potential
opportunities," declined further comment.

About 10 days ago, Thompson said he and Brandt "just had a talk" on Jan. 25
and that "he just felt like it was time for him to go out and do something
else. Andrew did a really good job for us. He left us in very good shape."

Since becoming GM in January 2005, Thompson has fired just one employee of
substance: coach Mike Sherman. Compared to many other franchises in the
National Football League, the Packers have maintained a remarkably stable
workforce.

"Change happens all the time," coach Mike McCarthy said Friday. "We've had
hardly any."

But for some reason, Thompson decided that he no longer wanted Brandt
working for him. As head of football operations, Thompson was Brandt's
supervisor. Thus, it was his call to make.

Brandt, 47, had been hired by GM Ron Wolf in February 1999, not long after
Wolf concluded that newcomer John Jones wasn't capable of handling the
salary cap. Within a few months, Brandt assumed the reins of the salary cap
after the contract of legal counsel-negotiator Lance Lopes wasn't renewed.

Thompson, 55, hired by Wolf in 1992, left in January 2000 for a five-year
stint with the Seattle Seahawks, then worked side-by-side with Brandt for 36
months without discernible problems.

However, as a onetime stockbroker, Thompson used what associates have
described as his keen business sense and became heavily involved in managing
the cap.

Sources said the differences between Thompson and Brandt centered mainly on
style and personality. They said Thompson regarded Brandt as a person who
was somewhat arrogant and who didn't always act in concert with his
philosophy of organizational selflessness.

At the same time, sources said McCarthy, who also must answer to Thompson,
wasn't totally in Brandt's court, either. And, according to one source, no
two people were more important to Brandt's future than Thompson and
McCarthy.

"It's their business," McCarthy said, referring to Thompson and Brandt. "I
don't know all the factors that were involved. I have nothing negative to
say. I wish Andrew and his family the best. He's a very bright individual."

According to one longtime agent, Brandt would rank among the top 10 of the
32 team negotiators in terms of being overbearing and among the top 15 in
terms of skill.

Last week, a lead negotiator for an AFC team rated Brandt among the top five
in the field.

"He's an outstanding representative of the club," Neil Cornrich, who has
represented NFL players for about 20 years, said Friday. "He's very good at
what he does. The Packers clearly were left in good shape. It's a
well-managed situation."

Colleagues on both sides of the negotiating table most often have described
Brandt as smart. He graduated cum laude from both Stanford University and
Georgetown University Law School, and later worked as a university teacher,
attorney, sports agent and part-time media member.

Also, Brandt had been one of two in-house candidates for the president's
job, which went to Mark Murphy in December. Brandt, who was interviewed more
than once, was described as extremely disappointed by the decision, but also
spoke highly of Murphy and was committed to staying with the organization.

Although it probably is true that Brandt and his wife, Lisa, were
considering other options, the couple were described as happy living in
Green Bay and in no way prepared to move on before another job offer might
present itself.

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