CHARLOTTE – Scott Fitterer was not the first candidate the Panthers spoke to.
Clearly, he made an impression that lasted.
The Panthers offer the Seahawks vice president of football operations the role of general manager.
The Panthers interviewed Fitterer on Monday, the last day of the 15 preliminary interviews for the post.
He was back on Wednesday for a personal interview, the last of the last four to meet for the second time with head coach Matt Rhule and owner David Tepper in person.
Fitterer has been with the Seahawks since 2001, and was a co-assistant general under John Schneider – who has just signed a contract extension until 2026.
A former college biathlete (UCLA and LSU), Fitterer spent three years as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization before shoulder problems ended his baseball career.
From there, he got a job with the Giants (New York, not San Francisco) as a part-time scout, joining the Seahawks in 2001 and being promoted through their college division. He became their university scouting director in 2011 when the team began laying the pieces that would eventually become a Super Bowl champion.
In that year, a fifth round called Richard Sherman joined a secondary series known as the ‘Legion of Boom’, and the young stars quickly followed suit.
The first three picks of the 2012 draft brought passenger Bruce Irvin, linebacker Bobby Wagner and quarterback Russell Wilson – the foundation of a team that would win the Super Bowl XLVIII dramatically (43-8 over John Fox and the Denver Broncos) a season later.
Fitterer is a native of Seattle, and holds a degree in history from UCLA.