David Tepper has not been known for his stable approach since assuming ownership of the Carolina Panthers. That seems to be changing for the better.
The billionaire endured a baptism of fire after purchasing the Panthers from Jerry Richardson. Erratic decision-making, meddling in football affairs too much, and bringing disgrace to the organization through various incidents saw the franchise descend into a laughingstock. But under the new regime, Tepper has reportedly seen the light.
He's not front and center anymore. Tepper is focusing his attention on improving facilities behind the scenes and helping within the community. This represents a drastic change of pace — one that most fans have been clamoring for almost from the moment he got into the building.
This hasn't amounted to better fortunes on the field in 2024. The Panthers are languishing at 3-11 with nowhere to go but up. They've been more competitive over recent weeks, but their disappointing home loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15 indicates how much hard work remains to get this organization back among the contenders.
David Tepper remains optimistic about Carolina Panthers' long-term future
In previous years, this is normally the time when Tepper starts examining new head coaching candidates or outright fires the top dog without a genuine plan in place. Instead, he's bullish about Carolina's current trajectory with Dave Canales, Dan Morgan, and Brandt Tilis leading the charge.
"I think we’re building something special. These guys, they’re just an extremely good management team. And listen, we’re just getting started. We’re just building momentum for this year, and it’s just building and building and building. And I think we’ll build the next few years. So I’m pretty excited, to tell you the truth."David Tepper via The Athletic
This brings a rare calmness to the Panthers' offseason plans. There is no starting from scratch. There will be no scrambling around for new appointments. Tepper is trusting the process at long last, which is arguably the most positive element to take from another underwhelming season.
Joe Person of The Athletic shed further light on Tepper's involvement. The beat writer revealed that he's still attending practices and remains part of the decision-making process. However, there is much more trust between those in positions of power than in previous years.
"We’ve heard nary a peep from the Panthers’ owner this season. Tepper is still a part of the big decisions and stops by practice regularly. But he seems to have a level of trust with the latest group of “football people” that might not have been as strong with previous regimes."Joe Person, The Athletic
Stability has been in short supply throughout Tepper's ownership. The Panthers were a respectable operation before he took charge. They rapidly became a joke, with many questioning whether the hedge fund manager was capable of successfully running an NFL operation.
He's slowly changing the narrative.
The relationships formed with Canales, Morgan, and Tilis have helped greatly. Taking a back seat, lending some input when asked, and having confidence in his employees are only going to help after years of perennial failure.
The Panthers have a long, hard road ahead. But as long as Tepper stays in the proverbial shadows and maintains this positive outlook, they might just have a chance.