David Tepper hasn't exactly covered himself in glory since becoming Carolina Panthers owner, but the tide is slowly beginning to turn. And one glorious quote from general manager Dan Morgan went a long way to salvaging his reputation.
Morgan was candid when discussing Tepper on the Pat McAfee Show. The front-office leader hailed the billionaire hedge fund manager, comparing him to a movie villain you hear a lot about but isn't all that bad once you get to spend time with them.
Dan Morgan throws weight behind Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper
It was an unusual description, but one that centered on Tepper's desire to win and the ever-changing times in Carolina under the new regime.
"In regards to Dave, he is definitely misunderstood. He is somebody that you can talk to, hang out with, laugh with, have a good time with. He just wants to win, just like I want to win, just like Coach Canales wants to win. He's going to supply everything that we need to win. We're getting a new indoor facility, stadium renovations are on the way, so things are changing around here. Things are looking really positive, and that's a testament to Dave and Nicole Tepper. It's like a villain in a superhero movie. But then you're with them and you're here with them every day, and they're the total opposite of what you thought."Dan Morgan
Tepper didn't look capable of making a success of the Panthers once upon a time. His woeful hires, constant meddling in team affairs, and abrupt demeanor with fans league-wide turned the franchise from respectable to dysfunctional relatively quickly.
After a two-win season in 2023 that came with a drink-throwing incident at the Jacksonville Jaguars, the penny finally dropped for Tepper. He hired football men to run the operation and went to the proverbial shadows. He focused on improvements behind the scenes and helping the community. He's still engaged in the personnel side, but there is more trust in the project than at any stage under his leadership previously.
This is a good start to Tepper's redemption arc, but no more than that.
The Panthers have yet to have a winning season since he bought the franchise from the late Jerry Richardson. Some fans remain disengaged, frustrated by the commercial priority that comes with having a turf surface over grass. It'll take a while to get everyone back onside, but things are heading in the right direction at long last.
Winning cures all at the end of the day. But the most important thing to take from Morgan's comments is how comfortable and cohesive things are behind the scenes in Carolina.
It's been a long time since anyone could say that.