Tom Heckert, Jr.

Thomas Heckert, Jr. (born July 17, 1967) is the General Manager for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. In his career, Heckert has had the opportunity to work with four of the more successful head coaches in recent NFL history, including Hall of Famer Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson, Andy Reid, and Mike Holmgren.

Miami Dolphins
Heckert had a 10-year stint with the Miami Dolphins (1991–2000), spending his first nine seasons there as both a pro and college scout. Heckert also served as the Dolphins’ Assistant Director of Pro Personnel/College Scout in 1999 before being promoted to Director of Pro Personnel in 2000.

Philadelphia Eagles
Heckert first went to the Eagles as Director of Player Personnel in 2001 before being promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel in 2003. He helped Eagles coach Andy Reid assemble a team that went to four straight NFC Championship Games from 2001 to 2004, and to Super Bowl XXXIX. He was promoted to General Manager on January 2, 2006. However, he served mainly in an advisory role to Reid, who also serves as executive vice president of football operations and has the final say in football matters.

During Heckert’s tenure with the Eagles, the team drafted or acquired 10 players who would go on to earn Pro Bowl status, including kicker David Akers, defensive lineman Trent Cole, wide receiver DeSean Jackson, offensive lineman Jason Peters, cornerback Asante Samuel and fullback Leonard Weaver, all of whom were selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl. Of the 22 Eagles starters at the end of the 2009 season, 13 were draft choices of the team during Heckert’s tenure while two more were signed as undrafted free agents. In fact, three players from the club’s 2009 draft class were among the 13.

Cleveland Browns
On January 11, 2010, Heckert became the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns.

NFL
Over the course of Heckert’s 19-year NFL career, the teams with which he has been associated have experienced 14 winning seasons, won eight division titles and made 14 postseason trips, including six Conference Championship game appearances (1992, 2001–04, 2008 seasons), in addition to representing the NFC at Super Bowl XXXIX following the 2004 season.

Heckert was appointed by the NFL to the College Advisory Committee in 2003, which advises college football juniors on their draft status. He was named to the General Managers Advisory Committee in 2008, which consults Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL football operations department on key issues regarding player development, scouting and technology.

Personal
Heckert has a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Madison.