President and CEO Ed Policy, former players enjoying trek through Wisconsin

Wes Hodkiewicz

GREEN BAY Ed Policy heard all the stories from Mark Murphy about what it's like to venture out every year on the Packers' Tailgate Tour across the state of Wisconsin.

The fans. The festivities. The fundraising.

Having succeeded Murphy as the team president and CEO last July, Policy is finally able to get in on the fun himself. On Tuesday, he set out with several current and former Packers players for the latest in the one-of-a-kind grassroots event.

"Somebody had to stay home and hold down the fort when Mark was on Tailgate Tour," joked Policy before the bus left Tuesday. "Now we have other people to do that, and I get to go on the tour."

Joining Policy on this year's journey through southern Wisconsin and a portion of Iowa are current linebackerEdgerrin Cooper, safetyEvan Williamsand alumni Randall Cobb, James Jones, Desmond Bishop and Brandon Jackson.

Over the coming days, the Tailgate Tour will make stops at local schools, hospitals, businesses, retirement homes and community centers to present donations, giveaway items and visit with fans.

Each night concludes with a nonprofit fundraising event in Janesville (April 15), Dubuque (April 16) and Wisconsin Rapids (April 17) before the bus returns to Green Bay.

Partaking in the Tailgate Tour is almost a rite of passage for current Packers players, as all four alumni previously rode the bus and visited with fans during their playing careers.

"I'm excited," said Cobb, who first participated in May 2013. "It's always fun to go out and see Packers fans. I feel like I run into them everywhere I go and it's always nice to be able to have those shared memories and those moments and being able to discuss it."

Excited to return in a new capacity, Jones said the alumni already were cracking jokes and telling old stories before the bus even left Tuesday. For Bishop, the experience brings back fond memories from his six seasons playing in Green Bay.

The tour takes place aboard a customized Packers-themed motor coach, which Bishop admits looks vastly different than when he first hopped on more than a decade ago.

"It's a lot of upgrades so far with the bus," Bishop said. "We have these nice amenities. It's nice. I'm excited to get to reconnect with some of the old guys. I'm just excited about the tour."

Although it is the first time Policy has participated in the Tailgate Tour, he has a deep appreciation for the event and what it does to bring fans together from all across the state.

"I think we're the only team across the NFL that does anything like this," Policy said. "Just one more example of what makes the Packers so special and what makes us so unique."

It's the 20th iteration of the Tailgate Tour, which paused for two years during the COVID pandemic in 2020-21.

Still, the goal remains the same to thank far-flung Packers fans, many of whom may not get to Green Bay to see on a game on a regular basis. As he completes his first year as the leader of the Packers organization, Policy is thrilled to be part of it.

Just like his predecessor.

"There's just nothing like this across the NFL," Policy said. "We've got Packers legends and greats and Super Bowl champions coupled with some of the up-and-coming stars from our current team. We're going to drive across the state and even into Iowa a little bit and get to know our fans a little bit better and really strengthen some of our communities."