CHARLOTTE, NC – Carolina Panthers fired CEO Marty Hurney on Monday because of philosophical differences.
“You look at successful organizations and there is a certain alignment between the head coach and the general manager,” team owner David Tepper said in a statement. “To think you can do this without some sort of alignment is crazy. So not having a head coach with some input into this is stupid. I don’t want to be stupid, OK?”
Hurney, whose contract was scheduled to expire in June, left immediately, and the Panthers (4-10) will begin remodeling their pre-season office. They are currently in line for a top five selection.
“I think sometimes you just need a restart, a refresh,” Tepper said. “I did it last year on behalf of the coach. Maybe you could say it should have been done before by GM. Maybe it should have been. I’m sure people can say that, or otherwise, on both sides.
“I think it’s time, on both sides, to do this. It just seems like the right time to move on.”
Tepper said in a statement that recent conversations with Hurney about football operations have made it clear that he is not on the same page.
Tepper and Chief Communications Officer Steven Drummond will immediately begin identifying candidates with some already in mind. Head coach Matt Rhule will also be a part of the process.
Tepper made it clear that he was not satisfied with the team’s record, even though the returning star Christian McCaffrey missed 11 games with injuries and the defense was completely revised with young players.
“This team could easily have four more victories,” Tepper said. “The eight games in which we had the ball last win or draw – seven to win, one to draw – if you win four of these games, you are in a completely different position now with this young team. next year, I really hope where we will be and what we will do. “
Hurney has been with the Panthers since 1998, starting as director of football administration. He helped the 2003 team reach the Super Bowl under coach John Fox and, for the most part, built the 2015 team that went to the Super Bowl under General Dave Gettleman.
Hurney was fired five games in the 2012 season, with the team off to a bad start and was rewarded in 2017 after Gettleman was fired.
He is responsible for the design of some of Carolina’s greatest stars of all time, such as defender Cam Newton, defender Luke Kuechly and defender Thomas Davis.