The Carolina Panthers have been ridiculed from all angles throughout David Tepper's ownership. Although things are heading in the right direction under the new regime, it hasn't stopped more jibes from arriving.
Their latest came from an unlikely source. Even though the social media post was deleted, it left its mark.
The PGA Championship was held this year at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte. An enthralling event saw world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler come away with the crown for the first time, extending his sensational run over recent years. This is something the PGA Tour social media team looked to exploit at the Panthers' expense.
Carolina Panthers mocked by PGA Tour with ill-advised social media post
Joe Person from The Athletic was quick enough to highlight the meme posted on Instagram. It portrayed Scheffler having more wins (15) than the Panthers (14) since 2022. This tongue-in-cheek joke was quickly removed, but we live in a screenshot world. Once something is posted, it's in the public domain forever.
This no doubt drew the ire of Tepper, who's a member of Quail Hollow and lives on the course. It's also another sign that, despite displaying some encouraging signs over the second half of 2024, there is a long way to go for the Panthers in their quest for respectability.
It was ill-advised, considering Charlotte was the host city. But sometimes, the truth hurts.
Win more games. Then all the jokes and not-so-subtle swipes will cease. That's the bottom line.
If I were head coach Dave Canales, this social media post would be blown up and put somewhere in the locker room. If players aren't motivated by it, they might not be a good fit in Carolina. The time for big talk is over — the Panthers must deliver and begin to remind the world why they were such a revered football franchise once upon a time.
The Panthers are in a good place. They have continuity and stability for the first time in years. Tepper moving to the fringes played a significant role in this mini-turnaround. But make no mistake, what comes next is even more important.
Silencing their doubters is attainable in 2025. If the Panthers can do this by achieving a winning record or perhaps even entering the NFC South title picture when competitive action begins again, that should be enough for the mockery to stop.