The Carolina Panthers hired Seattle Seahawks VP of Football Operations Scott Fitterer to fill their general manager vacancy Thursday. 

"We thought Scott was the best fit for the organization," Panthers owner David Tepper said after inking Fitterer to a five-year deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

When the Panthers fired general manager Marty Hurney on Dec. 21, Tepper said he was looking for a "more analytical data-driven evaluation" mindset. The team has found that person in Fitterer.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero said that Fitterer was "a late addition" to the Panthers' list of candidates, but he apparently made a good impression in his talks with the team.

The team said Fitterer was interviewed virtually on Monday, the last day of first-round interviews for the 15 candidates, and the two sides met in person on Wednesday, when the Panthers brass met with a final four. 

Fitterer was long-tenured with the Seahawks, where he was promoted to vice president of football operations ahead of this season. 

He joined the team as an area scout in 2001 and went on to serve as a regional director of college scouting before becoming the college scouting director in 2010. He was promoted to co-director of player personnel in 2015. 

Since Fitterer joined the Seahawks, the team has won the Super Bowl and two NFC championships, and he has helped provide evidence for selecting Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman in the NFL draft.