Personal information | |
---|---|
Date of birth | July 17, 1967 |
Place of birth | Adrian, Michigan |
Career information | |
Position(s) | General Manager Vice President of Player Personnel Director of Pro Personnel College Scout |
College | Hillsdale College |
Thomas Heckert, Jr. (born July 17, 1967) is an American football executive that most recently served as 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.[1]
On Monday December 31, 2012, Heckert, along with head coach Pat Shurmur was relieved of his duties as Browns GM by the Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III.[2] Despite posting by the Browns of a paltry record of 14-34 during his reign as Browns' GM, Heckert, along with former team president Mike Holmgren, are credited by many NFL observers as paving the way for the team, which has the youngest team in the league, for quick improvement in the near future by overseeing solid drafts in the past three years in which they selected high draft prospects and potential All-Pro players such as defensive backs Joe Haden and T.J. Ward, wide receivers Greg Little, Travis Benjamin and Josh Gordon, defensive lineman Phil Taylor, running back Trent Richardson, and 2012 starting quarterback Brandon Weeden.
NFL[]
Over the course of Heckert’s 22-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.
NFL GM record[]
Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
PHI | 2006 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 1st in NFC East | 1 | 1 | Beat New York Giants 23–20 Lost to New Orleans Saints 27–24 | |
PHI | 2007 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4th in NFC East | – | – | Failed to Qualify | |
PHI | 2008 | 9 | 6 | 1 | .600 | 2nd in NFC East | 2 | 1 | Beat Minnesota Vikings 26–14 Beat New York Giants 23–11 Lost to Arizona Cardinals 32–25 | |
PHI | 2009 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .687 | 2nd in NFC East | 0 | 1 | Lost to Dallas Cowboys 34–14 | |
CLE | 2010 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .312 | 3rd in AFC North | – | – | Failed to Qualify | |
CLE | 2011 | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in AFC North | – | – | Failed to Qualify | |
CLE | 2012 | 5 | 11 | 0 | .385 | 4th in AFC North | – | – | Failed to Qualify | |
Total | 52 | 56 | 1 | .477 | 1 Division Championship |
3 | 3 | 0 Super Bowl Championships |
Personal[]
Heckert has a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Madison.
References[]
- ↑ "It's Official: Heckert New Browns GM". http://cle.scout.com/2/937002.html. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
- ↑ Rosenthal, Gregg (December 31, 2012). "Pat Shurmur, Tom Heckert fired by Cleveland Browns". NFL.com (NFL Enterprises LLC). http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119911/article/pat-shurmur-tom-heckert-fired-by-cleveland-browns. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
External links[]
Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by Harry Gamble |
Philadelphia Eagles General Manager 2006–2009 |
Succeeded by Howie Roseman |
Preceded by George Kokinis |
Cleveland Browns General Manager 2010–2012 |
Succeeded by Mike Lombardi |
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