CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper stepped up to the podium Tuesday to testify his NFL team is on the right path.
Despite the view of a majority of NFL insiders. To most onlookers, the franchise is a mess.
- They are a league-worst 1-10.
- Their coach, Frank Reich, is unemployed.
- Rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall draft choice last April, ranks 31st with a 74.7 passer rating.
- Offensively, the Panthers rank 30th in points allowed (292) and 29th in points scored (173).
Fans accuse Tepper of being too impatient with coaching hires and meddling too closely with personnel decisions.
Tepper addressed those issues and more during Tuesday’s press conference at Bank of America Stadium.
David Tepper speaks to the media https://t.co/yr1NAHWGe2
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 28, 2023
David Tepper Claims To Have ‘Extreme Patience’
Following last Sunday’s 17-10 loss to the host Tennessee Titans, Tepper staged an impromptu locker-room interview. It didn’t go well. Frustrated, he exited the gathering with a choice phrase: “F—.”
Less than 24 hours later, he fired Reich after 11 games and promoted special teams coach Chris Tabor to interim coach. Reich, who became the first coach to be fired midseason two straight seasons since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970, is the third head coach Tepper has fired since 2018.
Tepper attempted to downplay his perceived low level of patience.
“In other aspects of my life we have people for 20, 30 years that work for me,” Tepper said. “Nobody ever leaves me.
“I do have patience. My reputation away from this game is one for extreme patience. There’s no reason why that doesn’t come here too, it does. Now, that patience comes with good performance and things that you want to see – progress being made in different aspects.”
David Tepper is quickly becoming one of the worst owners in sports.
He spent over $2.5 billion on the Carolina Panthers (NFL) and Charlotte FC (MLS) but has gone through 5 coaches in 4 years, including 4 in the last 18 months.
The Panthers (1-10) also don’t have a first-round… pic.twitter.com/J50emY6Vhl
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 27, 2023
Panthers Pick Of Young ‘Unanimous’
When Reich was hired last January, the club’s scouting department was deep into their analysis of which quarterback they were going to pick, Young, C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson.
In one of the worst-kept pre-draft secrets, the Panthers selected Young. Reportedly, Reich preferred Stroud, who ranks second in yards passing (3,266) and is the clubhouse leader for earning the rookie of the year honor.
Tepper deflected any suggestion that the Panthers’ scouting department, with his final approval, erred in judgment.
“On all those decisions, whether it’s the head coach, whether it’s Bryce, I don’t really vote on those decisions until the last piece,” Tepper said. “So those decisions are made by the football people.
“Now, look, everything that’s right and everything that’s wrong here ultimately is my fault. I have the final say. In the case of Bryce, I believe it was a unanimous decision in the coaches and the scouts, very strong opinions at the time.
“As far as Bryce Young is concerned, I cannot say this, for myself and I think everybody in this building would share this sentiment, we are totally confident in that pick.”
2 Minutes of why I absolutely believe that the Carolina #Panthers picked the right QB for the future pic.twitter.com/7G8fOHJwP4
— IamMontyFetti 🖤💙✊🏾 (@WestsideFetti) November 21, 2023
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