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Six Things David Tepper Has Bailed On Faster Than Matt Rhule

By Melanie Day
CHARLOTTE, NC - AUGUST 17: Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper walks the field before their preseason game against the Miami Dolphins at Bank of America Stadium on August 17, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Being a Panthers fan is dismal right now. There is no nice way to say it. Yesterday’s game was terrible. And the crowds attending games reflect that. And I think the vast majority of Panthers fans feel that it is time to move on from Matt Rhule. I’m sure he’s a nice guy but even the best of college coaches don’t have guaranteed success in the NFL and Rhule is no different. Chances are he could return to college, just 5 weeks in there are multiple head coaching jobs available, and have great success. The NFL and college football are just two different animals and being good at coaching one does not automatically equate to winning at the other. We tried and honestly it seems we have failed. With a 1-3 start this year following up two years of just five wins I’ve seen all I need to see. But somehow owner David Tepper won’t cut the cord with coach Matt Rhule.

What’s The Deal With Tepper and Matt Rhule?

Tepper is a businessman first and foremost, as we’ve seen reflected in many of his moves since purchasing the team. I love the concerts at BOA Stadium. While not a soccer fan, having an MLS team has been great for the city. But he’s got to notice the lack of interest which translates to a lack of ticket, food & beverage, and merch sales. It’s a simple formula. Win and you’ll make more money. Which bares the question for a man seemingly all about money, why is Tepper putting up with Rhule? I’ll be the first to say I have not been a fan of him, and I haven’t kept those feelings to myself. I’m open to changing my opinion and would love to. I just need some sort of reason. But this is a man has notoriously bailed on personnel, soccer coaches, and projects. But still not the Panthers coach. Yes, it would cost money, but Tepper is the richest owner in the NFL.

While talking about the apathy surrounding the team earlier I made the statement to a friend “Tepper bails on everything else but somehow not Rhule”. This leads me to this list: things David Tepper has bailed on faster than Matt Rhule.

 

  • The Rock Hill Practice Facility

    This debacle has been well documented. One of many Charlotteans’ biggest fears, when Tepper took over, was that he would move the team. Either to another market altogether or just out of uptown Charlotte. Real estate is at a premium and there are very limited uptown locations where you could put a new stadium. And if we ever want to host a Super Bowl, NCAA Championship, or other major event well we probably need a new stadium. Immediately Rock Hill began to be thrown out. And Tepper did announce he was going to move the team headquarters to the South Carolina town. Construction began but was halted due to a dispute between Tepper Sports & Entertainment and the city of Rock Hill. Ultimately Tepper pulled out of the project, leaving the site abandoned. He’s now being sued by Rock Hill for fraudulent intent.

  • Quarterbacks

    I’ll preface this to say that I do feel that it was time to move on from Cam Netwon due to the injuries and a decline in production by QB1. But franchise quarterbacks are hard to come by and The Panthers still haven’t found their guy. And before we get any further, yes I know the owner doesn’t pick the players. But he is responsible for the jobs of the people who do and likely does have at least a little input in the situation. And it’s been a revolving door at the quarterback position. Cam Newton to Teddy Bridgewater to Sam Darnold back to Newton to Baker Mayfield. And Mayfield It just hasn’t mattered. The offense has been stagnant and downright awful for the past several years. And third-round draft pick Matt Corral suffered a season-ending injury during a preseason game. So if Corral is the future (and he absolutely deserves a chance) we will have to wait to find out. The quarterback position has been a carousel with no one player surviving as a starter for more than a year. We are now on year 3 of Rhule regime.

  • Charlotte Football Club Coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez

    After starting not just the season, but a brand new franchise 5-8-1, Charlotte Football Club coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez was fired mid-season. I don’t claim to know ANYTHING about soccer, but for a brand new team that doesn’t seem THAT bad. But the leash for Ramírez was short. Very short. So why is the bigger money-maker team’s coach getting more slack? Reports say that it was due to his “losing the team”, and I will say everything we hear about this Panther’s team is that they are sticking behind their coach.

  • Eastland Mall Project

    While the city of Charlotte has set its sights on revitalizing the site of the former Eastland Mall, they ran across another failed promise from David Tepper. Plans for the site included retail, green space, and housing. All of this was t be alongside of the location for Charlotte FC’s youth academy headquarters. The complex was supposed to be 11 acres including multiple soccer fields. But this summer Tepper Sports and Entertainment pulled out of the project for unknown reasons. Plans are still on for the academy, just at another TBD location. But it was another incident of bad optics for the owner, and anther contract that was dissolved faster than the one with Rhule.

     

  • Tepper Sports and Entertainment Execs

    Multiple high-ranking officials inside the Tepper Sports and Entertainment company have stepped down in 2022 increasing speculation about what is going on at the organization. Team President Tom Glick left on February 1st, CEO Nick Kelly on May 4th, and COO Mark Hart in July. And while these contracts were not publicly terminated by Tepper (no one knows what the reason behind the departures was), it’s not a good look for the owner and organization.

  • Ron Rivera

    Ron Rivera’s last year in Carolina was rough, partly due to injuries that plagued the team that year. But it was enough for Tepper to cut the cord with the coach who took the Panthers to just their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Some may argue that Rivera should have gotten another year. I’m split on that idea, but regardless he lasted just one season under Tepper. He was fired at the conclusion of the 2019 season and in came Matt Rhule. Rivera was quickly hired by the Washington Redskins/Football Team/Commanders. His record there? 15-21. Rhule’s record here? 10-25.

    https://twitter.com/ConnorsLens/status/1477720585102925824

  • Everyone Knows What The Problem Is....

    Tepper has to know. But what will it take for him to make the change the entire world knows is needed?

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