Mike Disner, the chief operating officer of the Detroit Lions, has reportedly withdrew his name from consideration for the general manager position with the Carolina Panthers, citing a report from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Disner plans to remain in Detroit until 2024. Disner was one of the eight original applicants that Carolina sought for the Panthers position. However, he will play for the team for a sixth consecutive season after returning to Detroit.
Disner joined the Lions in 2019 as the vice president of football administration, initially working as the team’s salary cap expert to help out then-general manager Bob Quinn. When Quinn was let go a year later, the team recognized Disner’s value, and he was actually one of the key voices in the room that helped hire both general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. In fact, he’s the first one to have identified Holmes as a legit candidate. From MLive:
But then Mike Disner, Detroit’s vice president of football administration, came across a video provided by the league office. He loved Holmes so much that he immediately went to team president Rod Wood’s office.
In 2021, Disner’s role with the team increased, being named senior vice president of football and business administration. He received another promotion the next year to today’s title of chief operating officer.
His duties, per the team website, now include: “responsibilities across both the football and business management, overseeing the team’s football operations and football administration, as well as leading the Lions’ strategy and revenue teams.”
Holmes and Campbell often talk about Disner’s essential role in the organization, and given how widespread his duties currently are, his return to the team in 2024 should be considered a massive win.
