4 big takeaways from David Tepper’s presser after Matt Rhule’s firing

What were the big takeaways from Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s presser in the wake of head coach Matt Rhule’s firing?

David Tepper was sent out to face the music after the Carolina Panthers owner fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday. Something that forced the billionaire to admit a grave error in judgment by placing so much faith in the former Baylor man, to begin with.

The Panthers were going nowhere fast under Rhule. Confidence was non-existent within the fanbase and losing four of their first five contests in 2022 left Tepper with no option other than to end this experiment early.

Tepper had not spoken with the media since publicly supporting Rhule shortly before the 2022 NFL Draft. And the media in attendance were in no mood to give the owner an easy ride after so much radio silence in recent months.

With this in mind, here are four key takeaways from Tepper’s presser in the wake of Rhule being removed from his duties.

Big Takeaway No. 1

David Tepper’s confidence in Steve Wilks

There appeared to be a significant amount of confidence in Steve Wilks to restore pride back into the Carolina Panthers. The hugely respected coach takes over from Matt Rhule on an interim basis and will get a good sample size to prove worthy of consideration for the permanent job.

David Tepper indicated that Wilks could become head coach long-term if everything goes well. Although the owner will likely cast the net far and wide to finally find someone capable of leading this franchise back to prominence.

"“Steve is a leader of men. He has experience as a head coach, and I thought he’s the best candidate in the building for that role. He’s in a position to be in consideration for that position.”"

Everyone will be pulling in the same direction under Wilks. But the task awaiting him is significant and especially with yet another injury at the quarterback position.

David Tepper’s reasons for firing Matt Rhule

There are many reasons why Matt Rhule was fired. But despite everything seemingly crumbling around the head coach, his one solace was the support of team owner David Tepper in the face of ongoing adversity.

There was always going to be a tipping point at some stage. A straw that finally broke the camel’s back.

As it turned out, it was Tepper’s perception of intensity decreasing during another dismal loss at home to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. Something the billionaire hadn’t seen before and acted accordingly.

"“Might have been a little bit of lost intensity on the field yesterday, which was different from the first four games. I think that we have to figure out how to get a culture of winning here, which we haven’t had in a long time in this place. As I said at some point, this team has never had two winning seasons (in a row). So I don’t really think it ever really had a culture of winning.”"

There’s been a lot of big talk from Tepper since purchasing the franchise from Jerry Richardson with very little substance behind it. Following an offseason littered with concerns and the failed project fiasco at Rock Hill, this is the last thing he wanted.

Rhule was clearly out of his depth. Perhaps Tepper was the last to realize this, but it’s a case of better late than never.

David Tepper was non-commital on Scott Fitterer

Another prominent feature throughout David Tepper’s presser was planning for long-term success. This also included questions about the future of general manager Scott Fitterer.

The front office figure has been relatively blame-free as Matt Rhule took the criticism. However, when asked about the prospect of Fitterer leading the Carolina Panthers during the upcoming head coaching hire process in 2023, Tepper was surprisingly non-committal regarding his future with the organization.

"“It’s a little premature to ask those questions. Scott is our G.M.”"

What Tepper was clear about moving forward is an improved balance and structure within the Panthers. Much was made about Rhule getting the final say on personnel decisions as part of his contract, which is a mistake the owner doesn’t plan on making again.

Although there was some obvious regret in Tepper’s demeanor, that’s not going to stop him from taking further risks in an attempt to get the Panthers where he envisaged they could go.

"“Listen, a lot of things in this game might make more sense to be more conforming in some ways. On the other hand, look, it’s about taking chances and taking risks at times in life. Sometimes things work out; sometimes you want to make another choice. You learn.”"

It would be a surprise to see Fitterer not given an opportunity to choose his own head coach and go from there. But much will depend on how Tepper perceives his time in the role so far.

David Tepper’s patience was tested

As the constant stream of questions enveloped David Tepper, it was clear his patience diminished significantly. This threatened to boil over during a confrontation with experienced columnist Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer, which promptly brought the press conference to a conclusion.

It was an awkward exchange, to put it mildly. Tepper didn’t take kindly to Fowler’s comment about waking up and deciding to do it rather than giving the firing more thought, which came with some bizarre statements before the Carolina Panthers media team halted proceedings.

"“Scott, I read your column, okay? You know better. I actually read your columns and I can go back to your columns and regurgitate them. So you can read your own columns for that answer.”"

Reading the answer in his own columns. Incoherent ramblings from an owner that was feeling the heat in no uncertain terms.

Tepper is frustrated. He wants a winner and to be respected within NFL circles, which looks further away than ever right now.

Carolina has gone from a playoff team to a laughing stock under his ownership. Firing Matt Rhule was the start, but Tepper has a long way to go before confidence is restored.