CHARLOTTE (AP) — Marty Hurney was fired Monday as general manager of the Carolina Panthers one day after star quarterback Cam Newton expressed his frustration with a 1-5 start.
The Panthers have the worst record in the NFC in a season that began with big expectations. The dismissal came hours after Sunday’s 19-14 loss to Dallas.
Hurney, the GM since 2002, took responsibility for the team’s failures.
“I understand the decision,” Hurney said. “I’m responsible for everyone in the scouting department, on the coaching staff and in the locker room, and it all comes down to wins and losses.”
Newton experienced virtually no losses before becoming a pro, and he was the 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year. But this season has been a struggle, and he seemed at a loss for solutions Sunday.
“Well everybody’s looking at it, it’s not just me,” he said. “(We) try to find ways to keep games close and whether it’s me, I don’t know. Whether it’s the coordinator, I don’t know. .but we’ve got to find a way to change that.”
The first change came in the front office. Brandon Beane, the team’s director of football operations, will handle day-to-day football matters until a new GM is hired, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.
Hurney said he regrets not winning a Super Bowl in Carolina — they lost 32-29 to New England for the 2003 title — and the team’s inability to post back-to-back winning seasons.
“I hope this change starts accomplishing the direction to those goals,” Hurney said. “I am responsible for everybody in coaching, the players, the scouts and everybody in football operations. After six weeks, we are 1-5 coming off a 6-10 season.”
Hurney was general manager when the Panthers went to the Super Bowl and the NFC championship games in the 2003 and 2005 seasons, as well as winning the NFC South in 2008.
“Marty made every effort to bring success to the Panthers and took the team to a Super Bowl and two NFC championship games,” Panthers owner Jerry Richardson said. “Unfortunately, we have not enjoyed the success we hoped for in recent years. I have the greatest respect and admiration for Marty and will always appreciate the way he tirelessly served the organization.”
Hurney was well liked and respected within the organization, but his personnel decisions in the draft and in free agency were routinely criticized by fans tired of the Panthers’ losing ways.
Defensive end Charles Johnson, the team’s highest-paid player, said on Twitter: “Marty wasn’t the reason we are losing! … Unbelievable!”
Carolina’s last playoff victory came in 2005 when it reached the NFC championship game before losing at Seattle. The Panthers appeared to turn things around in 2008 when they won the NFC South and earned a first-round bye before getting upset 33-13 at home by the Arizona Cardinals. They haven’t been back to the playoffs since.
Hurney’s philosophy has been to build through the draft and re-sign proven players rather than going after high-priced free agents. But the team wasted a number of high draft picks through the years.
The personnel blunder fans that angered fans most was giving 34-year-old quarterback Jake Delhomme a five-year, $42.5 million contract months after he turned over the ball over six times in the playoff loss to Arizona.
Delhomme started 2009 with a five-turnover game against Philadelphia and was cut after the season. Delhomme cost the Panthers $12 million under the salary cap in 2009 even though he was no longer on the roster.
Eric Shelton, Dwayne Jarrett, Jimmy Clausen and Everette Brown were all drafted in the second round, but failed to meet expectations. Brown, in particular, was a costly choice in 2009 because the Panthers gave up their first-round pick the following year to San Francisco to get him. Brown lasted only two seasons in Carolina.
Hurney also was criticized for giving big contracts to keep the team’s core intact following a 2-14 season in 2010. He gave Johnson, who has never been to a Pro Bowl, a deal worth $72 million and also handed out a five-year, $43 million contract with $21 million in guaranteed money to running back DeAngelo Williams. Williams hasn’t done much since and serves as a part-time player.
Hurney also cut kicker John Kasay and signed Olindo Mare to a four-year, $12 million deal that included a $4 million signing bonus. Mare lasted one season.
He did well with first-round draft picks Jordan Gross, Jon Beason, Jonathan Stewart, Chris Gamble and Newton, last year’s No. 1 overall pick.
Denver Broncos coach John Fox, who worked with Hurney for nine years in Carolina before being replaced by Ron Rivera after the 2010 season, called the news “unfortunate.”
“It’s a tough business and we had some good moments, some very good moments, there,” Fox said. “We went to a Super Bowl. We were in a couple of championship games. …  I’m sure he’ll do fine moving forward.”