The Carolina Panthers have fired general manager Scott Fitterer, the team announced Monday morning.
The move comes after the Panthers finished with a 2—15 record and ended the 2023 season with back-to-back shutout losses. Panthers owner David Tepper appears to be cleaning house for 2024, as he sacked coach Frank Reich in late November.
Fitterer, who spent time in the Seattle Seahawks organization prior to his Panthers tenure, was hired in January 2021 during the Matt Rhule era. The 50-year-old executive was reportedly a main advocate of the Panthers’ efforts to trade up for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, which ended up being Alabama quarterback Bryce Young; Carolina gave up this year’s No. 1 pick as part of that trade, among other assets.
The Panthers now will start the process of finding Fitterer’s replacement, who will serve as the team’s third general manager this decade. It’s the first time since 2002 that Carolina will be hiring a coach and a general manager during the same offseason.
Tepper issued the following statement on Monday:
“As we move forward with the new direction for our franchise, I have made the decision that Scott Fitterer will no longer serve as our general manager. I appreciate Scott’s efforts and wish the best for him and his family.”
