Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s silence is deafening

One voice that’s been noticeably silent this season is Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, which is very uncharacteristic since the billionaire took charge.

The Carolina Panthers are not in a good place right now. There is increasing unrest within the fanbase and according to Joe Person of The Athletic, there is now dissension within the locker room after a scathing article from the reporter that featured quotes from team sources and other figures from across the league.

This all stems from head coach Matt Rhule‘s methods, which he claims are “1,000 percent working”. Try telling that to a disastrous run of results that’s seen the Panthers go 2-10 following their impressive 3-0 start to the campaign.

Despite the pressure mounting on Rhule, there is now a growing sense that the former Baylor man will get a third season. Ian Rappaport of the NFL Network confirmed as much on Sunday morning, which brought some furious responses on social media from disgruntled supporters.

It’s also worth noting that Rappaport claimed this was subject to change.

"“In spite of a 5-10 record and five straight losses, all indications are coach Matt Rhule will return, barring an epic meltdown on the field or some unforeseen circumstance, sources informed of Carolina’s plans said.”"

Just what David Tepper constitutes as an epic meltdown considering what’s transpired earlier this season appears to be a very low bar. But for someone who couldn’t get enough interview time before the current campaign, his silence has been deafening in recent months.

According to Person, Tepper is reportedly embarrassed by the seven-year, $60 million contract given to Rhule. This not only to tempt him from the college ranks, but it also outbid the New York Giants in the process.

The league’s richest owner had some grand plans for the Panthers upon purchasing the team.

Tepper’s done well to keep the ambitious new headquarters at Rock Hill on course despite COVID-19 threatening to throw a spanner in the works. But there’s been almost no progression on the field this season – something he should care about more.

Fans lost interest quickly this season. Had the Panthers not brought back Cam Newton for a memorable return, there’s just no telling what morale would be like.

This is a major problem.

The hardest thing a person can do is admit a mistake. Considering how adamant Tepper became regarding Rhule being the guy, it might sway his decision to give the head coach a reprieve.

Rhule getting the final say on personnel decisions and clearly attempting to run an NFL team as a college program has backfired so far. If Tepper keeps him around, then there must be a transition to hand roster building to the more experienced duo of Scott Fitterer and Dan Morgan.

With $28.3 million in cap space, no Day 2 draft picks, no franchise quarterback, and a number of established veterans out of contract, Carolina isn’t exactly the most glamorous job in the world. Something that Tepper already knows looking at the state of affairs.

The atmosphere is toxic, and the owner is nowhere to be seen.

Fans want to hear what Tepper has to say and the rationale behind any upcoming moves sooner rather than later. Whether he steps or not is another matter entirely.