Schefter: Tepper Considering Steelers Executives

[bobsfoodbasics]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28247681/sources-think-panthers-owner-david-tepper-considering-steelers-executives

Quote

With changes coming in Carolina, Panthers owner David Tepper could consider tapping into his past and trying to pry loose some personnel people from Pittsburgh.

There are those around the league who believe that Tepper is eyeing Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, whose contract is up after this season, and/or vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan, according to league sources.

Tepper was a minority owner of the Steelers but is in the process of selling his interest in Pittsburgh.

Tepper knows Colbert and Khan, has worked with both men and respects them -- and some sources think he would like to try to find a way to bring them to Carolina.

Colbert owns a home in Hilton Head, South Carolina, about a three-hour drive from where the Panthers train. Tepper has stayed in close contact with both since he left the Steelers.

The Panthers (6-6) fired longtime head coach Ron Rivera on Tuesday, two days after a home loss to the lowly Redskins (3-9) extended their losing streak to four games.

Tepper said he "thought it was time" to fire Rivera, saying he was "informed of other teams doing different types of searches out there, and I'm not going to start a search and not tell Ron Rivera I'm starting a search. Too good of a man.''

Tepper did not fire general manager Marty Hurney, but he said nothing that seemed to ensure that Hurney would remain with the organization long term. Tepper also plans to name an assistant general manager to focus on pro personnel evaluation and a vice president of football operations.

[Toolbox]

not a real suprise there.

[Snake]

Probably should let hurney screw the cap even more before they come. You know to give them a challenge. 

[CarolinaNCSU]

This is where we'll see if having the richest NFL owner helps.  JR would never have spent top money to bring in executives, but this is where Tepper could easily pay off.  Poach some of the top guys from the top teams in the league, get the best people you possibly can, and then let them work. 

[ItsJustMe]

wow learned something new today, we are 6-6, which means take everything else with a grain 

[ickmule]

I say whatever.....he’s got some real work to do to get this poo sailing in the right direction.  

[countryboi]

31 minutes ago, bobsfoodbasics said:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28247681/sources-think-panthers-owner-david-tepper-considering-steelers-executives

this is the move

[beastson]

Hire some Patriots executives. A team that has won recently.

[ncstatekwi]

14 minutes ago, ItsJustMe said:

wow learned something new today, we are 6-6, which means take everything else with a grain 

Haha...I saw that!

[Krovvy]

That man has been on the edge of retiring for years now.

[Mr. Scot]

5 minutes ago, Krovvy said:

That man has been on the edge of retiring for years now.

He's a year younger than Marty Hurney.

[Toomers]

9 minutes ago, Krovvy said:

That man has been on the edge of retiring for years now.

  i guess we could go with a GM who was forced into retirement and kept there by every decision maker in the NFL. That seems to work out well. 

[Mr. Scot]

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed this story.

From the article...

Tepper’s interest began long before his team started 5-7 and fired coach Ron Rivera. Last year, he hired Mark Hart, the Steelers vice president of planning and development, to a similar position with the Panthers.

Colbert is under contract with the Steelers until after the 2020 draft but, in mutual agreement with team president Art Rooney II, elected not to sign a contract extension this year. Colbert, 62, told Rooney he wanted to go year-to-year and didn’t want to sign a multi-year extension.

[Mr. Scot]

Another name to consider: Brandon Hunt.

Hunt is currently the Steelers Pro Scouting Coordinator. Longtime Steelers writer Ed Bouchette tagged him as the guy most likely to replace Kevin Colbert if he leaves (not Omar Khan, a fact which might not make Khan all that happy).

Since Tepper stated that he wants the new VP position to have a pro scouting background, it's not hard to imagine that Hunt might be somebody he'd target. There's also the Steelers connection, and add on that he fits the profile of a young guy who could easily just slide into the GM job like Tepper mentioned.

Even if we didn't end up with Colbert or Colbert came on only as a temporary consultant to help us get things organized, getting Hunt could be a real positive. Getting both Hunt and Omar Khan (widely considered the best salary cap expert in the league) would be amazing.

As an aside, Hunt would be the first African American to hold that high an executive position with the Panthers. Don Gregory would previously have been the highest as former Director of College Scouting.