Fitt Should Be Fired Yesterday

[Proudiddy]

I know the issue has been discussed ad nauseum, but I figure this was thread worthy because up until this season, I was an adamant supporter of Fitt.  I believed in him.  He came from a front office and organizational culture that drafted, signed, and built a winner.  He seemed to have and flexed a wide net of connections across the league that greatly helped us facilitate trades that at times had tremendous value, or at least the potential of tremendous value - and that no doubt is a huge asset.  I also like that he seemed to target size/athleticism combos on all draft picks, because it seemed to follow the Seattle model.

But, it's time.  Not sure who has been responsible for what picks and signings at this point, because as has been discussed - we have no idea who was making the decisions since Tepper has been here.  With any personnel decision we've made under this ownership, we have to ask, was it Tepper's decision?  Rhule's?  Fitt's?  Who knows.  But someone has to answer for it.

The damage and casualties of the recklessness displayed by this front office is of a level I don't think the league has ever seen before, and I'm not exaggerating.  Between giving CMC away to one of the best teams in the league who you knew would utilize him to maximize his potential and not even being able to net a future first is absolutely fuging insane...  and to boot, he goes there and does exactly what we expected and is playing himself into being the MVP frontrunner.

Then we have 4 potential franchise QB considerations in the first round of the draft.  Only one of them refused to workout at the combine and also just happens to be built like a middle schooler.  Not only did we not stand pat and see what we would get at 9.  Not only did we not trade up into the top 5 to take one of them that fell to us.  We traded crazy assets to move up, just to take the worst candidate out of all of them (and that's even considering AR suffering a season-ending injury).  And in the process, on top of the cost of draft picks to do this, we trade a Top 5 WR talent in DJ to do so.  And in the ultimate insult to injury, because the guy we sold out to draft at #1 is ass and as a result we are unintentionally tanking, the number one pick we traded to get him will now put the Bears in position to potentially have the first overall pick from us and possibly another top 3 pick because they suck.  Don't think that has ever happened before either - a team trading a first to move up to first for a franchise changing player and then that same team becomes the worst team in the NFL after making that pick.  It is the absolute opposite effect you want from a #1 pick.

Then we have Burns.  Instead of just giving him a reasonable contract extension over the offseason, which was reportedly significantly lower than what the number would now be projected at, we decided to stupidly play hardball with him.  Instead of being decisive about his significance and role with the team, we pussyfooted around and neither extended him nor traded him for value...  passing up on draft capital that would've at least somewhat mitigated the hit we took in trading up for Bryce.  Now, Burns is understandably playing more cautiously to get through the season, got injured today in a game that Bryce, the guy they sold the farm for, single-handedly lost.  And again, things would feel different if this same FO that is so reckless with draft assets was actually good at identifying, acquiring and developing gems from later rounds in the draft or free agency, but nope.  The cupboard is pretty bare in terms of depth.

As I said, the mounting damage and casualties have reached an insurmountable level.  It can't be ignored.  It can't be swept under the rug and revisited later.  I'm sure Tepper had a hand in all of these moves, but if you don't have the balls to take a stand on something one way or another as the guy making the personnel decisions, then you gotta answer for them.  

Never in the history of this franchise has it ever felt so desolate and hopeless before;  Not just because of the decisions that have already been made (and horribly), but because of what those decisions cost us in the future and how long it will take us to get out of the hole that has been dug.  This poo could not have been imagined a bigger nightmare if Stephen King took up writing about NFL personnel departments.  And sadly, even if Fitt is fired, I don't see things getting any better unless Tepper stops meddling, and I don't see that happening either.  We are just in a very hopeless state right now...

[LinvilleGorge]

Fitts should've followed Rhule out the door and now we're going to pay dearly for not making that move. He's surpassed Hurney in terribleness at this point and he's challenging Seifert.

[The Lobo]

I’m a big believer in the HC and GM should be a tandem. If one get fired, the other should have a huge hand in selecting the next one. When Rhule left, fitt should have followed. The question is, do we let Frank have a say in the next one? Also, who should it be?

[SmokinwithWilly]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Fitts should've followed Rhule out the door and now we're going to pay dearly for not making that move. He's surpassed Hurney in terribleness at this point and he's challenging Seifert.

His lack of understanding of player value has been baffling. I can't look at anything he's done and say to myself that it makes sense. He must have interviewed really well. It's the only explanation. 

[Waldo]

He is terrible and the Panthers could absolutely do better. We could also do worse but that is just because of our Teppers issue.

I get the married GM/HC philosophy. It's solid. I also don't think Tepper can hire a better GM with a decent plan in mind to overcome their coaching staff issues without another crew. If he could hire a GM with a HC target in mind and just ride out the year with Frank then cool. I just can't see anywhere near the competency from Tepper to think of this let alone pull it off.

[Cary Kollins]

It’s true. Seems like a good dude, but every gamble he’s made has lost. Sometimes that’s how it goes, I admire the big swings but sometimes with big swings comes lots of whiffs. 

[jb2288]

10 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

I’m a big believer in the HC and GM should be a tandem. If one get fired, the other should have a huge hand in selecting the next one. When Rhule left, fitt should have followed. The question is, do we let Frank have a say in the next one? Also, who should it be?

We did this with Rhule. Maybe Tepper does it again this year.... would be the only good decision he has made in a long time. 

[Sean Payton's Vicodin]

He is flat out the dumbest GM we've ever had. He makes Hurney and Gettleman look like Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson

Edited November 6, 2023 by Sean Payton's Vicodin

[SmokinwithWilly]

5 minutes ago, Cary Kollins said:

It’s true. Seems like a good dude, but every gamble he’s made has lost. Sometimes that’s how it goes, I admire the big swings but sometimes with big swings comes lots of whiffs. 

The only move I sort of like was the Gilmore trade. Not because I thought we were in a win now position, but just because I thought he might be able to help our very young CB room. Didn't really accomplish much. 

[Shocker]

19 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

I’m a big believer in the HC and GM should be a tandem. If one get fired, the other should have a huge hand in selecting the next one. When Rhule left, fitt should have followed. The question is, do we let Frank have a say in the next one? Also, who should it be?

I agree but Frank has said he is he coach and he lets the GM handle the roster,

Fitterer must go…that last draft was seriously questionable in terms of who he chose.  His draft philosophy does not work.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Shocker

[Proudiddy]

3 minutes ago, SmokinwithWilly said:

The only move I sort of like was the Gilmore trade. Not because I thought we were in a win now position, but just because I thought he might be able to help our very young CB room. Didn't really accomplish much. 

I think Gilmore and Laviska were both incredible trades of value for us.  But then he let Gilmore walk in favor of Donte (lol) and then we have barely utilized Laviska at all when he's likely the most explosive offensive weapon we have on the roster.

Everything else he's done has been absolute poo.

[Jackie Lee]

Fire him 

 

[jasonluckydog]

We are now the new old Lions of the NFL. We suck and it's not going to get better anytime soon. 

[Cpt slay a ho]

You’re not wrong but gm and HC should be in lockstep, franchise as of recently is constantly half assing or doing things backwards so even if fitts is fired we’re stuck with frank, who I’m not sure what advantages he gives this team as a HC 

and the bigger issue is if tepper and his wife forced young onto this staff, if that’s true, hate to break it to panthers nation but we’re doomed for the foreseeable future