McCarthy extension is Packers' next priority

Now that Ted Thompson's contract is taken care of, the Green Bay Packers are turning their attention to extending coach Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy, entering his ninth year as head coach, has two years remaining on the five-year contract he signed in 2011 following the Packers' Super Bowl XLV victory.

After announcing Thompson's multi-year extension on Wednesday, both Thompson and Packers president Mark Murphy said it's a big priority to take care of McCarthy, who's the fourth-longest tenured coach in the NFL.

The Thompson-McCarthy administration has led the Packers to a 92-50-1 mark in eight seasons, won three consecutive NFC North titles and advanced to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.

"I think we have a combination that's working," Murphy said Wednesday afternoon. "It's kind of a rarity in the NFL the continuity we've had. I think it's served us well. It's a big advantage, as well, I think."

The relationship between the general manager and head coach remains paramount in today's NFL. McCarthy said last week he doesn't know how much longer he'll coach, but enjoys working under Thompson's front-office umbrella.

At the annual shareholders meeting last week, Thompson told those gathered at Lambeau Field he "thanks God every day (McCarthy) is the Green Bay Packers' head coach."

The organization's next move is to keep that in tact for the foreseeable future.

"I think when two people work together for as long as Mike and I have, I think you develop certain understandings of each other," Thompson said. "There are certain things you can communicate that are unsaid as opposed to originally when you probably need to spell everything out. But I think we have a very good working relationship."