Tom Heckert Jr.
| Denver Broncos | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Director of pro personnel |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 17, 1967 Adrian, Michigan |
| Career information | |
| College: | Hillsdale |
| Career history | |
| As an executive: | |
| |
Thomas Heckert Jr. (born July 17, 1967) is an American football executive who is the director of pro personnel for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He formerly served as the general manager for the NFL's Cleveland Browns. 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 and 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. Despite Heckert's title of general manager, Reid served as executive vice president of football operations and had 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 general manager by Joe Banner, his former boss with the Eagles.[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, T.J. Ward, and Buster Skrine, tight end Jordan Cameron, wide receiver Josh Gordon, and defensive linemen Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard.
Denver Broncos
Hired in May 2013 as director of pro personnel. Heckert’s job is to scout current NFL players and oversee the team’s advanced scouting for upcoming opponents.
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.
Personal
Heckert is the son of former Miami Dolphins personnel executive Tom Heckert Sr. He has a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Madison.
On June 11, 2013 he was arrested and charged with DUI and reckless driving. The Denver Broncos organization subsequently suspended him for a month without pay.[3]
References
- ^ "It's Official: Heckert New Browns GM". Retrieved January 11, 2010.
- ^ Rosenthal, Gregg (December 31, 2012). "Pat Shurmur, Tom Heckert fired by Cleveland Browns". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
- ^ http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9464607/tom-heckert-denver-broncos-facing-driving-influence-charges