Tag: Panthers GM

When Panthers owner David Tepper bought the team a couple of years ago, he made it pretty clear that he would not tolerate losing for long. In his introductory press conference, Tepper famously declared that his top three priorities were winning, winning and winning.

Since then, the organization has undergone more changes than any other team in the NFL. Beginning with the firing of former coach Ron Rivera last December, continuing with the massive 2020 offseason purge of the roster and culminating in today’s sudden dismissal of general manager Marty Hurney, Tepper’s influence has officially turned the team upside down.

In the end, Hurney didn’t give Tepper much of a choice. While he has been more than adept at finding elite talents in the first round of the draft, the rest of the job proved far more difficult for Hurney. The team’s record during his two tenures as GM was well under the .500 mark and his confusing, outdated team-building philosophy played a major role in that disappointment.

Until a change was made, Carolina was likely to continue floundering as a mediocre or low-quality team compared to the competition.

There’s no guarantee whoever replaces Hurney will be a brilliant GM who carries the franchise to its first Super Bowl win. What was clear was that the Panthers had gone as for as Hurney could take them.

This development solidifies coach Matt Rhule’s status as the face of the organization and the most powerful person in the building aside from Tepper. He still has six more years left after this season on his contract, which makes him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

While Rhule’s early 4-10 record might indicate that he’s going to struggle at this level after a successful college career, the early signs show Rhule does know what he’s doing. That means today’s news should be celebrated by Carolina fans who are eager to see the franchise become a contender again.

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David Tepper has remodeled his franchise more than any owner in the NFL this offseason. From overhauling the roster and the coaching staff to tearing down the former owner’s statue, almost everything about the Panthers organization has changed in 2020.

One man who seems impervious to the earthquakes going on around him is general manager Marty Hurney. For what it’s worth, Tepper has never publicly wavered in his esteem for his GM. Not everyone shares Tepper’s confidence in Hurney, though.

According to ESPN’s annual future power rankings, Carolina’s front office is only ranked No. 27 compared to the competition. The team also ranked low (No. 25) in the Draft category.

Some analysts believe that’s a bridge too far, though. For example, Patrick Daugherty at Rotowold has Hurney ranked No. 20 in the league going into the 2020 season. That ranking might seem generous compared to ESPN’s, but Daugherty doesn’t seem to think he’ll last.

“The rebuild from Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly may not be as painful as expected. Operating at the owner’s pleasure even more than most general managers, Hurney has nothing to lose as his second go-around as Panthers personnel boss winds down.”

What stings most about these particular rankings is that former Carolina exec and current Bills GM Brandon Beane earned a well-deserved spot in the top 10.

Hurney’s strong record with first-rounders affords him enough respect not to be ranked among the folks running the perpetually-dysfunctional Lions and Jets. Those picks won’t save his job forever, though. During his two terms as GM the Panthers have a record below .500. Tepper may not tolerate that for much longer.

Let’s vote. Where would you rank Hurney among today’s GMs?

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