National Football League

After 2-15 season, Panthers move on from GM Scott Fitterer

Published Jan. 8, 2024 9:56 a.m. ET

The Panthers' offseason leadership makeover will be complete, as Carolina announced Monday that they'll be replacing general manager Scott Fitterer in addition to head coach Frank Reich, who was fired six weeks ago.

"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," Panthers owner David Tepper said in a statement issued Monday morning. "I appreciate Scott's efforts and wish the best for him and his family."

The Panthers finished 2-15, the worst record in the NFL, and they won't have the consolation of a No. 1 overall draft pick, having sent it to Chicago this spring in a package to land the 2023 top pick, used on Alabama's Bryce Young. That ambitious move, combined with the hiring of a veteran staff around Reich, had optimism that the Panthers could rise quickly in a division that didn't have any team with a winning record in 2022.

But the Panthers struggled mightily, opening the year with six straight losses, with Young having limited success at the same time that the draft's No. 2 pick, quarterback C.J. Stroud, caught fire with the Texans. Carolina beat Houston in Week 7, but the teams stayed on opposite paths, with Houston winning the AFC South title in a breakout year under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans.

Young finished with just 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, and the Panthers offense finished last in total yards and tied for last in total scoring this season. Carolina's defense had a league-low 11 takeaways while giving up the fourth-most points in the NFL.

That Fitterer would be fired was a given — one of the last images of him was a video of him next to Tepper, without any reaction, as the billionaire owner was caught tossing a drink at a fan in Jacksonville, his frustration boiling over in a 26-0 loss Dec. 31 to the Jaguars. Tepper was fined $300,000 for his actions, perhaps the low point in a year when everything went wrong for Carolina.

Fitterer, 50, came to the Panthers in 2021, having spent 20 years with the Seahawks, moving up from scout to eventually working as their vice president for football operations. Carolina went just 14-37 in his three years as general manager, and his tenure will be best known for choosing Young over Stroud, and reportedly turning down an offer of two first-round picks from the Rams last year for pass-rusher Brian Burns, who is now an unrestricted free agent. It remains to be seen if the Panthers — with a new coach and general manager — will be able to develop Young into the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.

Greg Auman is FOX Sports' NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.