Already looking for a potential new head coach from the Detroit Lions, the Carolina Panthers are now also looking to potentially fill their GM vacancy with someone from Detroit. The Panthers announced they have requested permission from the Lions to interview Mike Disner as their general manager.
Disner is the Lions’ Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has been in that role since 2022. He was the team’s senior VP of football and business administration prior to that promotion, serving two seasons in each capacity for Detroit.
In layman’s terms, Disner runs the team’s salary cap and contract negotiations with both players and coaches. He is also part of the Lions’ personnel strategy and evaluation teams, working with GM Brad Holmes, assistant GM Ray Agnew, special assistant Chris Spielman and others.
Disner is consistently noted as one of the league’s rising young stars, though he’s been in the NFL for over 15 years. The Lions do not have to grant permission to the Panthers, though that’s not a common move.
The Panthers have already asked the Lions for permission to interview OC Ben Johnson for their head coaching vacancy. Johnson interviewed for that position last year before pulling his name from contention.