David Tepper defends Panthers after firing Frank Reich: 'I do have patience'
One day after firing Frank Reich and appointing his sixth head coach in five years, Carolina Panthers team owner David Tepper was defensive.
“I do have patience,” Tepper said during a Tuesday morning media conference. “My reputation away from this game is one of extreme patience.”
Tepper told reporters that he hopes his next head coach will last 20 to 30 years.
The Panthers’ reality is far different.
Tepper fired Reich on Monday after a 1-10 start, the 11-game stint being the shortest NFL head coaching tenure in 45 years. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor was promoted to interim coach, and Tabor then fired quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who had alternated play-calling with Reich so far this season, will call plays. Parks Frazier was promoted to quarterbacks coach, Tabor said. Tabor added that he wasn’t concerned about Young navigating the upheaval as he’ll field plays from a play-caller he’s already worked with this season.
Tepper also reiterated his support for the Panthers’ decision to trade up and draft Young with the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“As far as Bryce Young is concerned … we are totally confident in that pick,” Tepper said. “In the case of Bryce, I believe it was a unanimous decision by the coaches and scouts. And very strong opinions at the time.”
Young has completed 61.7% of pass attempts for 1,877 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions in 10 games. He’s absorbed 40 sacks during that period too and produced a 74.9 passer rating. The Panthers' offense ranks 29th in points scored and 30th in yardage.
Tepper downplayed reports that he meddled to force the trade up for Young, saying instead that “football people” conduct the bulk of the decision-making processes for major decisions like Reich’s hire and Young’s selection, and that while he holds veto power, more often than not he supports their conclusions as the last line of approval.
“In both cases, I supported both choices,” Tepper said. “Whatever is good, bad or indifferent is ultimately because the bucks stops here and I take full responsibility for everything.
“Everything that’s right and everything that’s wrong here ultimately is my fault.”
