Who is Scott Fitterer? Here are a few things to know about the Panthers’ GM to be
The Panthers have offered Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Operations Scott Fitterer their general manager job. Fitterer, who was one of 15 candidates, was a late addition to the interview process. He interviewed with the Panthers on Monday and Wednesday.
He would replace former Panthers GM Marty Hurney, who was fired last month.
Here is what you need to know about Fitterer:
▪ Age: 47
▪ Place of birth: Seattle
▪ Family: Wife Cheris, daughter Ella, son Cole
▪ Alma mater: UCLA
▪ NFL background: Fitterer began his pro football career with the New York Giants in 1998 as a part-time scout before joining the Seattle Seahawks’ staff in 2001 as an area scout. Over the years, he moved up the ranks and was promoted to director of college scouting in 2010, where he had a focus on the draft board.
Known for his eye for talent in later rounds, he oversaw a scouting department that helped draft former safety Kam Chancellor in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, K.J. Wright in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, Richard Sherman in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, Bobby Wagner in the second round of the 2012 draft and Russell Wilson in the third round that year.
Those players and others, including Earl Thomas, who was drafted in 2010, were crucial to helping the Seahawks win a Super Bowl in 2014.
Fitterer was most recently promoted to vice president of football operations in September. He’s interviewed for other GM positions in the past, including the New York Jets in 2019.
Fun facts: Fitterer was a two-sport athlete. He played two seasons at UCLA, where he was a reserve quarterback and relief pitcher, and he pitched one year at LSU.
Fitterer originally committed to Cal but switched his commitment, when then-coach Bruce Snyder left Cal for Arizona State, according to a 1992 article in the Seattle Times.
He played his entire senior season of high school at Kennedy High with a broken thumb on his right hand. He refused to wear a cast on it, according to a 1992 article in the LA Times.
Fitterer was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 22nd round of the 1995 June Amateur Draft as a pitcher. He played three seasons of minor league baseball, reaching the Single A level. During that time he went back to UCLA to get his degree.
Required Panthers reading
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This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Who is Scott Fitterer? Here are a few things to know about the Panthers’ GM to be."
