Former GM hired by Commanders six months after escaping Panthers owner

Scott Fitterer is getting a fresh start.

It was reported on Monday that the former Carolina Panthers general manager is being hired by the Washington Commanders to serve as a personnel executive.

Fitterer was the Panthers GM from 2021-2023 — a stretch where Carolina went just 14-37 and failed to make the playoffs — before being fired on Jan. 8.

The firing could be a blessing in disguise, however, as Panthers owner David Tepper had a notorious reputation as one of the worst at his job in the NFL and all of professional sports.

Soon after Tepper let go of head coach Frank Reich, it was reported that the owner's habit of firing lead men in the early part of their tenure with the franchise caused some candidates to remove themselves from the search process during the 2023 offseason.

Tepper also fired assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown shortly after saying goodbye to Reich.

Fitterer now gets a chance in a less prominent role to show that his lack of production in Carolina was, perhaps, impacted by his boss. Fitterer was part of the Seattle Seahawks front office from 2001-2020 before joining the Panthers, being a part of three Super Bowl runs, including a championship at the end of the 2013 season.

The 50-year-old seems to be joining a significantly better situation than he was in Carolina as well.

While Washington hasn't been to the postseason since January 2021 and hasn't won a playoff game in 18 years, it will enter 2024 with high hopes after drafting 2023 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick.

The Commanders also bring back one-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin and 2022 16th overall pick Jahan Dotson to lead the wide receivers room, promising 25-year-old running back Brian Robinson Jr. and added former Los Angeles Chargers star Austin Ekeler to help lead the rushing attack.

Washington brought in nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner and former Panthers star safety Jeremy Chinn to join the likes of Pro Bowl defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the other side of the ball.

Off the field, Washington hired Adam Peters to be the next GM in January and added former Detroit Lions executive Lance Newmark as Peters' assistant. Brandon Sosna was also brought in as the senior vice president of football operations and former Baltimore Ravens college scouting director David Blackburn was hired as the organization's director of player personnel.