Panthers News: Hunger Games, Hayden Hurst, Bryce Young and training camp
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers toxic culture
It doesn't take a genius to figure out the complete dysfunction within the Carolina Panthers currently. Joe Person of The Athletic's almost annual exposé on the turmoil overseen by team owner David Tepper shed further light on this exact fact on Wednesday.
Person, who was joined by senior insider Dianna Russini for the highly detailed piece, spoke to 20 players or coaches associated with the Panthers on conditions of anonymity. What followed were reports of a Hunger Games-type environment, with Tepper and general manager Scott Fitterer also said to be offering coaching advice to Frank Reich regarding Bryce Young's development.
"Team sources described a “Hunger Games” culture at Bank of America Stadium. Coaches said they believed other staff members were text messaging Tepper behind Reich’s back about issues they saw with the team. In one instance, general manager Scott Fitterer and an offensive coach went to Tepper with a coaching suggestion for the quarterback. Days before Thanksgiving, with the team spiraling and Young getting pummeled, Tepper told Reich to fix the rookie’s footwork. Fitterer and others had told Tepper that Young’s feet were the cause of some of the Panthers’ protection issues. They believed Young wasn’t dropping back deep enough on his pass sets. Tepper’s instruction about Young’s footwork came after weekly conversations between Tepper and Reich on Young’s development and early struggles."
- Joe Person, Dianna Russini, The Athletic
Young's footwork is unusual due to his size. It's not bothered him before, to pin the blame on this rather than focus on suspect recruitment and offensive line production is asinine.
Tepper and Fitterer are not qualified to coach. One could make a strong case that neither is capable of doing their job properly, so this house of cards was destined to fail from the outset.
It also does nothing to diminish the view regarding Tepper's micro-management of football-related matters. Unless this changes, the Panthers will continue to be an embarrassment.