A tireless worker who investigates every possibility in his quest to improve the Panthers, Marty Hurney is in his 10th season as Carolina's general manager. Until last year, the Panthers were one of only four teams (now two) to avoid having a season with double-digit losses since 2002 but appear poised to rebound under head coach Ron Rivera and a talented young roster.
When Rivera arrived in Carolina, he was quick to acknowledge the work of Hurney in laying the foundation for the team he inherited. "We have a young roster, but it is a roster with plenty of talent," Rivera said.
Three Panthers played in the Pro Bowl last season - linebacker Jon Beason, tackle Jordan Gross and center Ryan Kalil. Carolina's top two running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, are regarded among the best in the NFL, and the third, Mike Goodson, rushed for 100 yards in two of his three starts when Williams and Stewart were sidelined.
All were drafted by Hurney, who has made several successful first-round selections since assuming his responsibilities in 2002. Gross was chosen in 2003 and has developed into one of the NFL's premier tackles. Cornerback Chris Gamble, who ranks second in team history in interceptions, followed a year later, and then came linebacker Thomas Davis in 2005, Williams in 2006, Beason in 2007, and Stewart and tackle Jeff Otah in 2008.
Hurney has also shown an imagination and ability to multiply picks to strengthen the roster. In 2007, he traded Carolina's first-round selection (11th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for their first-round choice (25th overall) and second-round pick. Hurney proceeded to take Beason with the first-round selection and Kalil with the second-round choice, and both have played in the Pro Bowl.
They all help form the nucleus for the Panthers, who have made three playoff appearances, won one NFC Championship, claimed two NFC South titles, been to two NFC Championship games and played in one Super Bowl during Hurney's tenure.
The ability to find value has not been limited to the draft under Hurney. Veteran free agent signings have included running back Stephen Davis, quarterback Jake Delhomme, linebacker Mark Fields, wide receiver Ricky Proehl, and most recently, two-year starter Tyler Brayton.
The Panthers have compiled a 78-74 overall record since Hurney's appointment in 2002 after going 20-44 the previous four years. Between 2002 and 2009, the Panthers recorded the seventh most wins in the NFL.
It is a resume that has brought favorable notice to Hurney, who was second in NFL Executive of the Year balloting in 2003 and recognized by Forbes.com as one of the top 10 executives in professional sports in 2007. A year earlier, FoxSports.com had given him the same honor. Most recently, a poll by The Sporting News ranked Hurney third among the NFL's general managers for first-round value in the draft behind the Baltimore Ravens' Ozzie Newsome and the Indianapolis Colts' Bill Polian.
The respect Hurney has earned in the league was reflected in his appointment to the NFL General Managers Advisory Committee, which provides feedback to the NFL's football operations department.
Despite his success, Hurney is still more comfortable behind the scenes. It was that management style Carolina Panthers Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson saw in Hurney when he promoted him to general manager. The promotion was the culmination of a 15-year NFL apprenticeship under some of the game's most astute coaches and executives, and Hurney has demonstrated that the lessons were well-learned.
Hurney joined the Panthers in 1998 from the San Diego Chargers and managed the salary cap under head coaches Dom Capers and George Seifert. As general manager, Hurney oversees the salary cap while coordinating the different areas of football operations with Rivera and the team's college and pro scouting departments.
Hurney first caught the eye of former Washington Redskins Owner Jack Kent Cooke as a reporter covering the team's championship runs in the 1980s. Developing an association with Cooke, head coach Joe Gibbs and general manager Bobby Beathard, Hurney joined the Redskins public relations department in 1988. In 1990, Hurney moved with Beathard to San Diego, serving as the general manager's assistant with responsibilities that included organizing the scouting department and player contracts and overseeing the day-to-day football administration.
With the advent of the salary cap in 1993, Hurney emerged as the club's specialist in compliance management to the agreement, earning distinction as both an administrator and negotiator and playing an integral role in San Diego's AFC Championship in 1994.
A native of Wheaton, Md., Hurney graduated from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and began his career as a journalist with the Montgomery Journal in Silver Spring, Md. In 1978, he moved to the Washington Star and worked three years for that paper before going to the Washington Times, where he spent five years as a beat writer covering the Redskins. Hurney and his wife, Jeannie, have two sons, Joe and James.
A tireless worker who investigates every possibility in his quest to improve the Panthers, Marty Hurney is in his 10th season as Carolina's general manager. Until last year, the Panthers were one of only four teams (now two) to avoid having a season with double-digit losses since 2002 but appear poised to rebound under head coach Ron Rivera and a talented young roster.
When Rivera arrived in Carolina, he was quick to acknowledge the work of Hurney in laying the foundation for the team he inherited. "We have a young roster, but it is a roster with plenty of talent," Rivera said.
Three Panthers played in the Pro Bowl last season - linebacker Jon Beason, tackle Jordan Gross and center Ryan Kalil. Carolina's top two running backs, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, are regarded among the best in the NFL, and the third, Mike Goodson, rushed for 100 yards in two of his three starts when Williams and Stewart were sidelined.
All were drafted by Hurney, who has made several successful first-round selections since assuming his responsibilities in 2002. Gross was chosen in 2003 and has developed into one of the NFL's premier tackles. Cornerback Chris Gamble, who ranks second in team history in interceptions, followed a year later, and then came linebacker Thomas Davis in 2005, Williams in 2006, Beason in 2007, and Stewart and tackle Jeff Otah in 2008.
Hurney has also shown an imagination and ability to multiply picks to strengthen the roster. In 2007, he traded Carolina's first-round selection (11th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for their first-round choice (25th overall) and second-round pick. Hurney proceeded to take Beason with the first-round selection and Kalil with the second-round choice, and both have played in the Pro Bowl.
They all help form the nucleus for the Panthers, who have made three playoff appearances, won one NFC Championship, claimed two NFC South titles, been to two NFC Championship games and played in one Super Bowl during Hurney's tenure.
The ability to find value has not been limited to the draft under Hurney. Veteran free agent signings have included running back Stephen Davis, quarterback Jake Delhomme, linebacker Mark Fields, wide receiver Ricky Proehl, and most recently, two-year starter Tyler Brayton.
The Panthers have compiled a 78-74 overall record since Hurney's appointment in 2002 after going 20-44 the previous four years. Between 2002 and 2009, the Panthers recorded the seventh most wins in the NFL.
It is a resume that has brought favorable notice to Hurney, who was second in NFL Executive of the Year balloting in 2003 and recognized by Forbes.com as one of the top 10 executives in professional sports in 2007. A year earlier, FoxSports.com had given him the same honor. Most recently, a poll by The Sporting News ranked Hurney third among the NFL's general managers for first-round value in the draft behind the Baltimore Ravens' Ozzie Newsome and the Indianapolis Colts' Bill Polian.
The respect Hurney has earned in the league was reflected in his appointment to the NFL General Managers Advisory Committee, which provides feedback to the NFL's football operations department.
Despite his success, Hurney is still more comfortable behind the scenes. It was that management style Carolina Panthers Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson saw in Hurney when he promoted him to general manager. The promotion was the culmination of a 15-year NFL apprenticeship under some of the game's most astute coaches and executives, and Hurney has demonstrated that the lessons were well-learned.
Hurney joined the Panthers in 1998 from the San Diego Chargers and managed the salary cap under head coaches Dom Capers and George Seifert. As general manager, Hurney oversees the salary cap while coordinating the different areas of football operations with Rivera and the team's college and pro scouting departments.
Hurney first caught the eye of former Washington Redskins Owner Jack Kent Cooke as a reporter covering the team's championship runs in the 1980s. Developing an association with Cooke, head coach Joe Gibbs and general manager Bobby Beathard, Hurney joined the Redskins public relations department in 1988. In 1990, Hurney moved with Beathard to San Diego, serving as the general manager's assistant with responsibilities that included organizing the scouting department and player contracts and overseeing the day-to-day football administration.
With the advent of the salary cap in 1993, Hurney emerged as the club's specialist in compliance management to the agreement, earning distinction as both an administrator and negotiator and playing an integral role in San Diego's AFC Championship in 1994.
A native of Wheaton, Md., Hurney graduated from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and began his career as a journalist with the Montgomery Journal in Silver Spring, Md. In 1978, he moved to the Washington Star and worked three years for that paper before going to the Washington Times, where he spent five years as a beat writer covering the Redskins. Hurney and his wife, Jeannie, have two sons, Joe and James.
