The Arizona Cardinals must say goodbye to a team legend as vice president of pro personnel Adrian Wilson, who is also a member of the team’s Ring of Honor for his 13-year playing career. He was hired by the Carolina Panthers to be their new vice president of player personnel.
After the news broke of his new position with the Panthers, he issued a heartfelt goodbye on Twitter with the following message.
Wilson showed nothing but love to the Cardinals and team owner Michael Bidwill.
Wilson interviewed for the Cardinals’ general manager position, ultimately getting passed over for new GM Monti Ossenfort.
Wilson made sure to let fans know he was not pushed out of the organization. Both Ossenfort and Bidwill wanted him to remain in the Cardinals’ front office.
Wilson, though, wanted to be able to seek out the position in Carolina, which is a promotion. Bidwill was supportive.
In NFL hierarchies, below a general manager is an assistant GM, then the vice president of player personnel and then the vice president of pro personnel, which was Wilson’s position in the front office.
Wilson is moving up a notch. The Cardinals have Dave Sears as Ossenfort’s assistant GM and Quentin Harris is the vice president of player personnel.
For Wilson, it means a promotion and a return home. He went to high school in North Carolina and played collegiately for N.C. State.
It sounds like a great opportunity. He wasn’t going to be able to advance much with the Cardinals with the hiring of Ossenfort.
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