David Tepper

David Tepper Signed Off On Benching Bryce Young

October 4th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

So much transpired to land quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina last year. A Panthers team that had struggled to find consistency at quarterback after the departure of Cam Newton decided to shy away from signing more free agents like Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield and draft and develop a passer. They took an opportunity to trade with Chicago into the top spot and made the decision on who would lead their offense in the coming years.

With hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy for outsiders to speculate on the decision-making that led Carolina to take Young instead of C.J. Stroud, who has looked much more accomplished and successful in his first 23 weeks of football (including last year’s playoffs). While it seems crystal-clear at this point who the right decision was, as Young sits on the bench with a 2-16 record as a starter and Stroud continues to start with a 12-7 record, Adam Jahns and Joe Person of The Athletic report that there was very little doubt when the decision was being made.

Team owner David Tepper‘s comments over time have made it clear that Young was the unanimous choice over Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick last year. While there was certainly some intrigue around Stroud, and some argued that the S2 cognitive test — a test that Stroud performed poorly on but Young nearly perfected — was weighted too much, the decision was still a clear one.

General manager at the time, Scott Fitterer reportedly met with then-head coach Frank Reich and the scouting staff shortly after Reich’s hiring. Fitterer went around the table and posed a question to the scouts: if they traded up for the top pick, which quarterback would they choose? All of the scouts chose Young.

Fastforward to today: Young sits on the bench, his opportunities to improve “limited to QB meetings, individual drills, and his snaps running the scout-team offense against the first-team defense.” The leash was short on Young to start the season, but with Carolina scoring only 13 points while giving up 73 in the first two weeks, it was clear a change was necessary, and Tepper signed off on the demotion.

The immediate improvement was obvious. 204 passing yards in the first two weeks was improved to 526 when Andy Dalton took over the offense. With the passing game working, the run game took off, too, improving from 148 yards in the first two contests to 286 in the next two. The team has decreased turnovers by the offense from four under Young to only one under Dalton, and after only scoring 13 points before the change, the Panthers have put a combined 60 on the scoreboard since.

There are still sentiments that Young will be able to return to a starting role at some point, perhaps even this year. For now, though, he’ll get the opportunity that he didn’t get his rookie season to sit behind a seasoned veteran and learn. It’s Dalton’s offense for now, but Young can take this time to develop and earn his way back into the lofty expectations that came with his selection as the first overall pick in 2023.

Panthers Receiving Trade Inquiries On Bryce Young; QB Expected To Start Again In 2024

September 22nd, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bryce Young‘s status continues to be a lead early-season storyline, and conflicting reports about the second-year passer’s future have emerged. For now, Young will sit behind Andy Dalton. The organization’s plan beyond that remains unclear.

With the team so quickly veering from its Young path, trade inquiries are coming in. Several teams have reached out to the Panthers about Young’s availability, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Beyond those clubs, others have debated an overture internally. The offseason looms as the most likely trade window, Schefter adds.

Dave Canales said this week the team was not interested in moving Young right now, and while the rookie HC had said following the Chargers’ blowout win the 2023 No. 1 overall pick would remain the starter, Dalton received word hours later he would take over. Panthers players had grown frustrated with Young, who is not coming especially close to developing — albeit in suboptimal circumstances — in the way the franchise had hoped when it traded a bounty to the Bears for the draft slot last year. And debate around the league about the Panthers’ long-term direction with Young is coming out.

When the Panthers benched Young, word out of Charlotte depicted the change as a permanent benching instead of a move to merely reset the former Heisman winner’s confidence. However, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the Panthers indeed aim to turn back to Young at some point this season.

The Jets took this route with Zach Wilson in 2022, allowing the embattled QB to climb back up the depth chart — with an assist from a Mike White injury — after veterans were wildly disappointed in the player’s showing. While Schefter adds the door is indeed open to Young returning this season, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini is bearish about the Alabama alum’s long-term Carolina outlook (subscription required).

Young had been reassured the Panthers were in this for the long haul, only to see the team scrap a plan it formed in 2023 and then doubled down via several acquisitions this offseason. Young was believed to be “pissed” at the Panthers’ about-face, and although the team is not planning to trade the 5-foot-10 passer now, Russini reports this relationship is fully expected to end in 2025.

A veteran Panther informed Russini that Young kept making the same mistakes. Despite the Panthers signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis and then trading for Diontae Johnson to improve on a poor offensive setup, Young sits last in QBR by a wide margin through two games. The second of which produced a paltry 84 passing yards on 26 attempts. Young is averaging a nonfunctional 4.4 yards per attempt this season, and Russini adds that despite any damage control coming out of Charlotte, he is done as the hopeful long-term Panthers QB1.

Young’s scout-team performance this week offered the Panthers some renewed hope for a rebound, per Rapoport, who adds the team had viewed its previous starter as “overwhelmed.” Though, even if the Panthers may well be planning to give Young another shot later this season, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones offers this relationship is “forever altered.”

Jones affirms the Panthers “blindsided” Young with news of the benching but echoes Rapoport’s reporting that the diminutive QB will have another chance to start this season. Neither Russini nor Jones dispute David Tepper being involved in the benching, though the latter pushes back that the oft-criticized owner was not the sole driver behind the move. Most around the league, however, believe Tepper was involved in this benching, Russini offers.

Tepper is believed to have been the driving force behind the Young draft choice last year. Both GM Scott Fitterer and HC Frank Reich announced they shared the view, with separate research efforts producing a consensus between the since-fired HC-GM combo. Though, rumblings out of Charlotte had tied Reich to C.J. Stroud — even after the quickly fired coach had denied strong consideration was given to the Ohio State product. That is well in the past, and the Panthers are now nearing a cliff with the player they chose.

Two years remain on Young’s rookie contract, and roster bonuses of $3.17MM and $4.78MM are respectively due in 2025 and 2026. The Cowboys took on Trey Lance‘s fully guaranteed rookie contract, while the Broncos and Jets agreed to split Wilson’s 2024 money. The Panthers will have an impossible task finding value near what they gave up if they were to unload Young, with Jones reporting a Day 3 pick would be most likely the highest return the team could expect.

Carolina gave up D.J. Moore, its 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall) and 2023 and ’25 second-rounders to climb from No. 9 to No. 1. The Texans had backed out of a three-team trade that would have sent them the top pick and the Panthers No. 2 overall, and after Carolina had also discussed No. 3 with Arizona, the NFC South club then dealt directly with Chicago to obtain No. 1. With Young 2-16 as a starter, that move has deteriorated into one of the worst NFL decisions in a rather bad period for QB missteps.

Dalton is tied to a two-year, $10MM contract, and he appears set for a long runway as the Panthers’ emergency fix. Whether the Panthers’ 2024 plan involves another Young look or not, trade rumors — after many QBs drafted in 2021 and ’22 have been moved — are unlikely to cool down before this year’s deadline. Assuming the Panthers stick to their guns and retain Young throughout this season, trade rumblings are almost definitely to follow — perhaps ahead of a deal that gives Young a true fresh start — in 2025.

NFC South Notes: Tepper, Pace, Bucs, Saints

August 21st, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

David Tepper‘s Panthers tenure has plunged the team to its lowest point. Carolina is 0-for-6 in playoff berths under the current owner, bottoming out at 2-15 last season. Panthers fans have observed their owner play perhaps the lead role during this period. Beyond Tepper throwing a drink at a fan last season, the primary concerns about the owner have been overreach-based. Frank Reich confirmed Tepper carried considerable input into football operations last year, and Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline notes a number of league insiders indicate the Carolina czar has not cooled down on this front. Tepper, who has been tabbed as difficult to work for in the past, said at Dave Canales‘ introductory presser he would step back regarding personnel matters. This latest report suggests he has not done so.

From steering the Bryce Young trade to authorizing the monster Matt Rhule contract to firing Reich after 11 games, Tepper has made a mark in his early ownership years. Given how chaotic last year’s coaching setup was believed to be — due in no small part to Tepper’s role — the owner’s involvement will continue to be a central issue as the Panthers attempt to climb out of the NFL’s basement.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

Ryan Pace will continue to move up in the Falcons‘ front office. Fired from his Bears GM post following the 2021 season, Pace received a second promotion from the Falcons recently. The team moved him from director of pro personnel to VP of football operations/personnel. Pace last promotion took place during the 2023 offseason. Pace, 47, began his Atlanta stint as a senior personnel executive in 2022. No GM interviews have come his way since the Chicago ouster. The Falcons also promoted Hakeem Smith from assistant pro scout to pro scout and hired Cami Pasqualoni and Kevin Weisman as scouting assistants. Cami is the daughter of former Lions DC and Syracuse HC Paul Pasqualoni; she had previously worked in the Orange’s recruiting department.
The Buccaneers are not planning to bring in a kicker to push Chase McLaughlin. Todd Bowles said (via ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine) it is “a little late for competition.” McLaughlin has missed two kicks during the preseason. Any type of competition might be a bit rash as well, seeing as the sixth-year specialist made 93.5% of his field goal tries (29 of 31) and all 33 of his extra points last season. This included 7-for-8 from 50-plus yards. The Bucs also re-signed McLaughlin on a three-year, $12.3MM deal in March. The kicker’s 2024 and ’25 base salaries are guaranteed.
Justin Simmons‘ New Orleans visit effectively alerted the football world the Saints were not satisfied with the safety position alongside Tyrann Mathieu. Dennis Allen confirmed that recently, indicating no one has seized the job yet. Jordan Howden started in place of the since-cut Marcus Maye during the latter’s injury- and suspension-driven absences last season, but the Saints also re-signed former first-rounder-turned-nomad Johnathan Abram. The team has given Abram and recently added DB Will Harris starting nods, respectively, in its two preseason games. Simmons signed a one-year, $7.5MM deal with the Falcons following a multi-day visit.

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Tepper, Greenlaw

May 19th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys hit on quite a few of their picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, with first-rounder Tyler Smith reaching second-team All-Pro status last year, fourth-rounder Jake Ferguson earning the starting tight job halfway through his rookie season, and fifth-rounder DaRon Bland leading the NFL in interceptions, interception return yards, and pick sixes last season. Their second- and third-round picks from that draft, though, are still struggling to make a similar impact two years in. That may be changing soon.

Former second-round edge rusher Sam Williams found his name getting called fourth on the depth chart last year, behind Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dorance Armstrong. It’s hard to imagine being disappointed with a fourth-place finish in that situation, considering Parsons has become a perennial DPOY candidate, Lawrence is a four-time Pro Bowler, and Armstrong is a veteran with 21.0 sacks in the last three years. Still, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Williams wants to play more, and director of player personnel Stephen Jones claims that, thanks to Armstrong’s departure in free agency to Washington, those opportunities will come this year, though he will be competing now with this year’s second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland.

Likewise, third-round wide receiver Jalen Tolbert has seen limited production behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Noah Brown, and Michael Gallup. With Brown gone last year, Tolbert stepped his role up a little bit. After the team released Gallup, Tolbert is, once again, expected to step his game up in 2024. With Lamb and Cooks returning, Tolbert will now be given a larger opportunity to step in as WR3, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC:

Many have looked at the Panthers‘ decision to draft Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft as a gigantic misstep, given the vast difference in success each team saw last year. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, some in the Panthers organization point to the S2 cognitive test as the main reasoning for the decision. Per Person, team owner David Tepper, a hedge-fund billionaire and a proponent of analytics, took the S2 test results very heavily into consideration when helping the team to make their decision. The test of processing speed and reaction time has been looked at as a potential indicator of future success at the quarterback position. Young scored extremely well (in the 98th percentile), while Stroud did not (18th percentile).
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw notoriously missed a good mount of the team’s Super Bowl loss after tearing his Achilles tendon in the big game. According to a report from Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Greenlaw told the media that he had been experiencing some soreness in his Achilles for about a month or so before the game. He recently was able to shed his walking boot as he continues in recovery.
It’s been over a year since Steve Keim stepped down as general manager of the Cardinals following an indefinite leave of absence due to “an undisclosed health-related matter.” According to a recent interview Keim did with Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, the Cardinals administration advised Keim to check into a rehab while he was still general manager of the team. Of course, the situation eventually resulted in the two sides parting ways, but Keim continues to work on himself following the conclusion of his NFL career.

Panthers, Chargers Request HC Interviews With Bengals’ Brian Callahan

January 9th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Ben Levine

JANUARY 9: Callahan will have a chance to meet with the Chargers as well. The Bolts requested an HC interview with the five-year Bengals OC, per Pelissero. Unlike the Panthers last year, the Chargers have not made their priorities clear in terms of coaching expertise. Callahan joins Ben Johnson, Todd Monken and OC Kellen Moore as offense-oriented coaches on the Bolts’ request list. Though, the team is interested in Jim Harbaugh. Moore interviewed for the job on Tuesday.

JANUARY 8: After firing Scott Fitterer earlier today, the Panthers have already started requesting general manager interviews. Apparently the organization isn’t wasting any time with their other major vacancy. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Panthers have requested an interview with Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan for their head coaching opening.

After being hired by the Bengals in 2019, Callahan’s offense would have a pair of underwhelming seasons before Joe Burrow took off in 2021. The Bengals offense ranked seventh in points in both 2021 and 2022, with the passing offense ranking top-10 in most categories between those two campaigns.

That performance earned him head coaching interviews in each of the past two offseasons. He was interviewed for the Broncos job in both 2022 and 2023, and he also earned interviews last offseason with the Cardinals and Colts. He got to the second round of interviews in Indy, an indication that he was on the brink of getting a HC gig.

The Bengals offense took a step back in 2023, although that was partly due to Burrow’s injury issues. That apparently hasn’t stopped the coordinator from generating head coaching interest, and he’s the first official candidate to replace Frank Reich (and interim fill-in Chris Tabor) in Carolina. While Callahan is the first definitive candidate, that hasn’t stopped pundits from speculating about other potential fits. We heard yesterday that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick could be an option in Carolina if he’s let go in New England.

One coordinator who won’t get a look in Carolina is Steve Wilks, who guided the Panthers to a 6-6 record while filling in for the fired Matt Rhule in 2022. Wilks was a main candidate to take on the full-time gig in Carolina, but owner David Tepper ultimately opted for Reich. Wilks went on to become defensive coordinator in San Francisco, and he helped guide the 49ers defense to a number of top-10 marks this season.

Despite his continued success, Wilks won’t be considered for the job in Carolina. Per ESPN’s David Newton, Tepper “won’t put aside his pride and admit he made a mistake” during last year’s coaching carousel.

Bill Belichick Interested In Panthers?

January 7th, 2024 at 10:56pm CST by Ely Allen

There has been an immense amount of speculation about where Patriots head coach Bill Belichick could end up if he does part ways with New England. We’ve heard rumors about Dallas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Washington, and Carolina. While much of this is based on speculation and fit, Joseph Person of The Athletic reports that Belichick himself has inquired with others about Panthers owner David Tepper.

Now, we recently provided a report that Tepper has established a bit of a reputation that some in league circles believe could affect the team’s ability to bring in top head coaching candidates. Since buying the Panthers back in 2018, Tepper has proven to have very little patience with head coaches. In those six years, Tepper has fired three head coaches, and the two interims before the current interim head coach, Chris Tabor, have not been retained in the following years.

Perhaps a symptom of his lack of patience, perhaps a separate issue of its own, Tepper further marred his reputation when he threw his drink into a crowd in frustration recently, warranting a $300K fine from the NFL. This evidence of behavior, paired with his noted impatience with new head coaches, has some believing that potential head coaching candidates, especially ones entering their first head coaching gigs, will be wary of teaming up with Tepper in Carolina.

Belichick isn’t exactly the type of head coach the Panthers are targeting, though. It has been made widely known that Carolina is aiming to land a young, offensive-minded head coach that can mold rookie quarterback Bryce Young and, hopefully, work alongside current defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to form a formidable coaching staff. Belichick is not that.

Still, if rumors of Tepper’s reputation prove to be true, Belichick may end up being the perfect match. Since Belichick isn’t considered a favorite candidate early, the Panthers may end up reaching out to him as a backup option, should they fail to secure the services of a Ben Johnson or a Brian Johnson. I doubt it would be either side’s first choice, but they just might end up being a perfect fit this offseason.

Some Panthers Coaches Could Stay On Staff; OC Thomas Brown Not Expected To Be One Of Them

January 7th, 2024 at 6:25pm CST by Ely Allen

While several fans will be awaiting the news of the firing of their team’s head coach in the next two days, Carolina fans have already processed their loss. The normal sequence of events whenever there is a changeover at head coach for an NFL team sees most of the accompanying coaching staff also lose their jobs as the team tends to clear house, allowing the new hire the opportunity to build their staff exactly as they desire. The Panthers, with owner David Tepper at the helm, are not a normal team.

We’ve already seen an example where Tepper asserts his authority, encouraging head coaching candidates a year ago to retain special teams coordinator (and current interim head coach) Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen. Both assistants were retained by the now departed Frank Reich. Whether a direct correlation or not, rookie Bryce Young ended up as the second-most sacked quarterback of the season, and Reich lost his job. So, with Tepper likely to flex his influence once again, who is likely to be vouched for to the candidates who may replace Reich?

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is a no brainer. Despite giving up the fourth-most points in the NFL this season, the Panthers defense allowed the third-fewest yards this year. The offense routinely put the other unit in bad situations, but the Carolina defense did their best to limit the damage throughout the year.

Evero, though, will be a popular candidate for open head coaching jobs, as he was last year, as well. If the Panthers hire a young, offensive-minded head coach, holding onto Evero could be a perfect recipe for success. Coordinators who leave for head coaching gigs tend to bring their staff with them, so holding on to Evero would likely result in the retention of key defensive assistants like defensive line coach Todd Wash, linebackers coach Peter Hansen, safeties coach Bert Watts, and senior defensive consultant Dom Capers.

Though Evero and his staff could likely depart for greener pastures, it’s even more likely that the staff on the offensive side of the ball won’t return for the Panthers in 2024. The likeliest to return would be Campen, who Tepper continues to back despite a brutal 2023 campaign for the Panthers’ offensive line. Campen is still a highly respected coach in the NFL and delivered a strong offensive line for Carolina in 2022. His most likely route out of Carolina may be due to his connections with Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who seemingly has an outrageous amount of pull in New York.

The rest of the offensive staff, namely offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, face a much different situation. Brown is considered a rising, young mind in the league, earning several head coaching interviews last year before accepting his first coordinator position in Carolina. The coordinator title seemed mostly nominal when he arrived, though, as Reich retained play-calling duties for the offense to start the year.

This fit Brown just fine, as Brown’s best coaching qualities are more leadership-oriented than offensive. That didn’t stop Brown from providing dissenting opinions about the direction of the offense with Reich this year, leading to multiple arguments in house. Brown did lead Young to his only two wins as a play caller this year, but ultimately, the Panthers offense did not flourish under his eventual reign as play caller. There’s a chance that Brown, alone, could be retained for his leadership abilities, if Carolina does in fact hire a young, offensive-minded head coach, but the rest of the offensive staff would likely be replaced by the new hire’s preferred assistants.

Lastly, Tabor seems invincible in Carolina. While he doesn’t seem likely to receive any serious consideration for the permanent head coaching job, Tepper continues to favor Tabor for his leadership as the interim head coach and his record as a special teams coordinator.

All of this stands as mere speculation, though, until Carolina is able to secure their newest head coach. And with Tepper employing six coaches (including interims) as skippers since buying the team in 2018, he’s developing a reputation that may make it difficult to lure in top talent. According to ESPN’s David Newton, sources around the league believe that Tepper’s impatience for head coaches, coupled with his recent drink toss that led to a $300K fine, will impact the team’s head coaching search, making it difficult to nail down the candidates of their choice.

Still, a head coaching opportunity is the pinnacle of the profession, and someone will be sure to nail down this newest opportunity in Carolina. They just may be pressed to include some of the above coaches in their new staff.

Latest On Panthers’ Offseason Plans

January 6th, 2024 at 10:39pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers already have a head coaching vacancy, and there’s an expectation that he’ll soon have an opening at general manager. Unsurprisingly, it sounds like Panthers owner David Tepper isn’t wasting any time preparing for his next big hires.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Tepper has been working with consulting firm Sportsology, which is led by former Chelsea FC executive Mike Forde. As Joe Person of The Athletic notes, Forde recently helped Tepper with his Charlotte FC coaching search, and the executive has also worked with the Rams, 49ers, and Falcons. For what it’s worth, Tepper didn’t rely on a consulting firm when he hired Matt Rhule and Frank Reich.

While Scott Fitterer sounds like he’s at risk of losing his job, the general manager’s replacement could already be in the building. Per Schefter, Panthers assistant GM Dan Morgan has “support within the organization” to take over the full-time gig. There’s also a chance Fitterer sticks around the organization…at least temporarily. Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the GM could “help with some of the transition” to a new head coach.

Of course, whoever takes over at GM will face a tough task of turning around the franchise. The Panthers have already traded their first-round pick (which ultimately came in at No. 1) to the Bears in order to draft Bryce Young, who struggled throughout his rookie campaign. With limited draft resources and a roster that’s lacking top-end talent, the next GM will surely require a multi-year rebuild to get the Panthers back on track.

As for the replacement for the ousted Reich, Russini writes that Tepper is expected to “try again” to hire Ben Johnson. The Lions offensive coordinator is expected to be a popular name on the coaching circuit, just as he was last offseason. In fact, Johnson was at one time considered the front runner for the Panthers job before he dropped out of the race to stay in Detroit.

NFL Fines Panthers Owner David Tepper

January 2nd, 2024 at 5:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

A camera caught David Tepper appearing to throw a drink at a fan from his box seat Sunday in Jacksonville. The NFL has since levied a fine against the Panthers owner, whose reputation has taken some hits as of late.

The league fined Tepper $300K for “unacceptable conduct,” NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. While this is not exactly a needle-mover for the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner, it has brought him more attention during a stretch in which questions have arisen about the Panthers’ direction on his watch. Today’s news does, however, spare Tepper a suspension for his actions in Florida.

“All NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways that respect our fans and favorably reflect on their team and the NFL,” the league said in a statement.

This incident, which came after a Bryce Young interception, comes at a key point on the Panthers’ timeline. Tepper fired Frank Reich after 11 games, doing so barely a year after he canned Matt Rhule in-season. Known for impulsive tendencies before the Reich ouster — the earliest a team has fired a coach since 1978 — Tepper has furthered that reputation this year. Reich admitted Tepper is a hands-on owner and said their midweek conversations veered toward the difficult side.

The Panthers are again looking for a new head coach, and Tepper’s actions — compounded by the Panthers’ decision to trade their 2024 first-round pick to move up for Young last year — have probably made their job less desirable. Tepper is widely viewed as the driver of the Panthers’ decision to draft Young over C.J. Stroud. A controversy about plans for a Panthers practice facility also emerged in 2022.

“I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose,” Tepper said in a statement. “I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the League’s discipline for my behavior.”

After Tepper passed on removing Steve Wilks‘ interim tag, he assembled a staff that appeared to pull Young in different directions. Questions about which staffers have Tepper’s ear have also arisen during a turbulent Panthers season, one that has already clinched the Bears the 2024 No. 1 overall pick. Carolina axed QBs coach Josh McCown and running backs coach Duce Staley, reinstalling OC Thomas Brown as the play-caller — after Reich had reclaimed the reins — and giving Jim Caldwell more power. The Panthers have been unable to turn their season around, carrying a minus-171 point differential into Week 18. One more Carolina loss would match the 2001 squad for the most in a season in team history.

The Panthers are seeking another offense-oriented HC and preparing to make an aggressive push to hire Lions OC Ben Johnson, who spurned the team in 2023. It seems likely the next Carolina HC will be well-paid, due to Tepper’s wealth and the blows his reputation has sustained, but will they be able to compete with other HC-needy teams given the state of the franchise?

Latest On Panthers’ Organizational Dysfunction

December 8th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

The firing of former Panthers head coach Frank Reich was not a spur of the moment decision. Team owner David Tepper had been forming the basis for this decision for weeks before finally pulling the trigger. Joseph Person and Dianna Russini spoke with several players and staff within the organization, some under the guise of anonymity, about the state of the organization and revealed a number of headline-worthy comments.

First off was the confirmation of rumors that the team’s poor offensive performance contributed heavily to Reich’s exit. In addition to serving as head coach, Reich also called offensive plays for Carolina. He ceded play-calling duties to first year offensive coordinator Thomas Brown for three games before retaking the responsibility, but nothing seemed to help their struggling rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, and Reich’s decision to take back that role reportedly caused some division within the staff.

In 11 starts so far this year, Young is averaging fewer than 200 passing yards per game. and has thrown only nine touchdowns to nine interceptions. The offense has struggled as a whole, ranking 29th in points scored and 30th in yards gained. Their struggles have been fairly balanced with the team ranking 30th in passing yards and 26th in rushing.

One take, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, is that the Panthers’ attack was simply too complicated for the rookie passer. Reich brought in assistant coaches from many backgrounds. When he was let go, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and running backs coach Duce Staley were also let go, due to their heavy influence on the offense. Between Reich’s plan from his Philadelphia days, Brown’s scheme from Los Angeles, and the input from McCown and Staley, there were simply too many cooks in the kitchen. The plan post-Reich has been to streamline the offense in order to make it a bit more digestible for Young.

Additionally, there seemed to be a disconnect within the coaching staff. As we recently reported, there were seemingly attempts within the coaching staff to get Young benched in favor of a veteran like backup quarterback Andy Dalton. Such attempts reportedly never reached Reich or general manager Scott Fitterer. This may have been a result of several Panthers staffers communicating directly with Tepper behind Reich’s back. With the writing on the wall for Reich, several assistants reportedly went into self-preservation mode in an attempt to not go down with the captain of the ship.

Tepper really attempted to be hands-on this season. After firing Matt Rhule, Tepper sold a thorough coaching search (despite some rumors pointing to a foregone conclusion when Carolina hired Reich’s daughter hours after the 2022 season ended). After “eventually” landing on Reich, Tepper reportedly implored his new head coach to hire assistants outside of his normal coaching circle, suggesting that Reich retain special teams coordinator Chris Tabor and offensive line coach James Campen. Tepper even instructed Reich to fix Young’s footwork, though this may have been prompted by another coach or even Fitterer.

With Reich in the past, there have been several names rumored to be in contention to replace him. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a popular pick after he was heavily considered in the offseason before withdrawing his name from consideration to stay in Detroit. But Carolina isn’t necessarily selling out for Johnson. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, sources have the Panthers on the lookout for a “young offensive coach” to replace Reich.

Johnson does fit that mold at the age of 37, but Eagles 36-year-old offensive coordinator Brian Johnson will be popular this offseason, as well. Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, at 36 years old, has already shown what he can do with the development of a rookie quarterback after working with both Brock Purdy in 2022 and C.J. Stroud this year, though he remains close to DeMeco Ryans, who brought him over from San Francisco. Lastly, Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith is a bit older at 42 years old but is still a rising name in the NFL after Miami’s offensive development in the past two years.

While they might not love what’s been put on the field thus far, the Panthers also still have Brown on the offensive staff after he was considered a head coaching candidate in the offseason. Brown was also considered an up-and-coming offensive mind coming out of Los Angeles last year. Regardless, Tepper will need to really do his homework this time around if he wants to author a strong reply to this year’s dismal performance.

Load More Posts