Panthers Hire Scott Fitterer as New General Manager

The Carolina Panthers have hired Scott Fitterer to be the franchise's new general manager, the team announced Thursday night.

Fitterer, 47, has been with the Seattle Seahawks organization since 2001, and was most recently the team's vice president of football operations. He replaces Marty Hurney, who was fired on Dec. 21 with two games left in the season.

According to ESPN's David Newton, the other three finalists for the position were Kansas City Chiefs assistant director of player personnel Ryan Poles, Tennessee Titans vice president of player personnel Monti Ossenfort and San Francisco 49ers vice president of player personnel Adam Peters.

"We went through a thorough process and it was a great final four," Panthers owner David Tepper said, per the team's release. "We thought Scott was the best fit for the organization."

Fitterer was the Seahawks' college scouting director in 2011, the same year the team drafted late-round gems that would play key roles in Seattle's eventual Super Bowl title in 2013: linebacker K.J. Wright (No. 99 overall pick), cornerback Richard Sherman (No. 154) and linebacker Malcolm Smith (No. 242). 

In 2012, Seattle drafted Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson with its first three picks. Fitterer was promoted to co-director of player personnel in 2015.

The Panthers went 5-11 last year in what was head coach Matt Rhule's first season at the helm. The team started 3-2 but lost nine of its last 11 games. Carolina finished the regular season ranked 24th in points per game (21.9) and 18th in points allowed per game (25.1).