Fired Panthers GM Marty Hurney Could Join Ron Rivera in Washington

The Carolina Panthers canned general manager Marty Hurney on Monday, citing the same old reason. Basically, the Panthers (4-10) are bad, despite making a coaching change after last season. So Hurney was just next on the list.

“I think sometimes you just need a restart, a refresh,” Panthers owner David Tepper said, via the team's website. “We did it last year on the coaching side. Maybe you could say it should have been done before on the GM side. Maybe it should have been. I’m sure people may say that, or otherwise, on both sides. I think it’s just time, on both sides, to do that. It just seems like the right time to move forward.”

Hurney may not be out of work long. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Washington Football Team may be looking to reunite Hurney with coach Ron Rivera, also formerly of the Panthers. It wasn't Hurney's decision to fire Rivera in Carolina, and the two reportedly remain close.

"(Hurney will) be a candidate to take over in Washington, assuming they open up their GM job alongside Ron Rivera," Rapoport reported. "This gives him a head start, as well."

Hurney and Rivera did a nice job together for a number of seasons, as the Panthers made a Super Bowl appearance in February 2016, losing to the Denver Broncos. The Panthers finished 15-1 in the regular season that year.

Meanwhile, Washington is 6-8 and in first place in the NFC East. When you look at the overall talent and injury issues on Washington's roster, you could say Rivera is more or less working some football miracles.