The Panthers have placed interim GM Marty Hurney on paid leave after his ex-wife "accused him of harassment last week," and the NFL also is now investigating, according to Person & Gordon of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The Panthers "notified the NFL that Hurney’s ex-wife filed on Friday for a protective order." Panthers Dir of Communications Steven Drummond said that Hurney then "notified the Panthers on Sunday of the filing." Mecklenburg County District Court judge Ronald Chapman heard Jeanne Hurney’s complaint and said that there was "no evidence Hurney had committed acts of domestic violence against her." He also "refused to issue an immediate restraining order against Marty Hurney." Attorney Kathi Lucchesi, one of Marty Hurney’s lawyers, called the allegations “complete fiction.” Jeanne Hurney late yesterday also said that she had "withdrawn her complaint." That makes it "unclear whether the Feb. 16 hearing will still take place." But a source familiar with the NFL investigation of Hurney said that the review will "continue even if the complaint is withdrawn." Hurney, 62, "interviewed last week to become the Panthers’ full-time general manager for the second time in his career" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/7). ESPN.com's David Newton reported Hurney was "considered the front-runner, and the team was expected to announce" its decision this week (ESPN.com, 2/6).
TIMING NOT IDEAL: PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Darin Gantt writes the Panthers are "likely going to choose who handles" GM duties while the league "does its thing." Sticking with Hurney "would likely cause some (more) public relations backlash" amid the ongoing investigation into Owner Jerry Richardson, but hiring one of their other candidates will "cause plenty of football problems." None of the candidates they interviewed last week -- Martin Mayhew, Lake Dawson and Jimmy Raye III -- has "any meaningful background with coach Ron Rivera and his staff, the team’s scouts or the player personnel on hand" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 2/7).
