Former Panthers Smith, Norman react to ex-GM Gettleman's firing

The Carolina Panthers made the shocking decision to fire general manager Dave Gettleman on Monday, sending the NFL world into a frenzy of reactions and speculation. A few former standout Panthers players weighed in with their takes on Twitter.

Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, who was given the franchise tag by the Panthers last season only to later have the tag rescinded, tweeted a few emojis that hint at what he's feeling:

The way Norman's situation was handled is rumored to have impacted the team's decision to fire Gettleman.

Recently retired wideout Steve Smith suggested (likely in a mocking way) that he has sympathy for Gettleman:

The Panthers cut Smith, probably the franchise's greatest player, in 2014 after arguably mishandling the situation by letting it leak out that Smith was on the trade block.

After facing backlash as a result of Smith's release, Gettleman was forced to issue a damage-control statement asserting that he believed the move was in the best interest of the team over the long term.

Related: DeAngelo Williams open to Panthers return after firing of 'snake' Gettleman