Plus, in the case of the Carolina Panthers, they’re at a very rare and huge turning point. Owner David Tepper has been reconsidering the franchise’s direction following a disastrous start to the 2023 season. Tepper has already gone through three different head coaches in only five seasons. Now, he has to start making that same difficult choice about going further with changes after a brutal 1-10 run with first-year head coach Dave Canales.
No matter the outcome of this search, Tepper’s time as owner has been punctuated by rash actions. He fired Matt Rhule after just three seasons, culminating in a 1-4 record this year and an overall record of 11-27. His dismissal of veteran coach Frank Reich early in the season further emphasizes his zero-tolerance approach to poor performance. In Rivera’s case, under Tepper’s leadership, he was terminated during the 2019 season. Entering that game, the team was 5-7, coming off a duck of a 7–9 season Tepper’s first year as owner.
The calls for Tepper to do something have ramped up. Since the offseason hire of Canales, the team has gone 6-15. Fact is, he needs to be figuring out how much the head coach and his staff are responsible for this type of performance. If there is a best opportunity for the Panthers to turn their season around, it would be the schedule in front of them. If they miss the boat like these opportunities, Tepper’s patience is sure to wear thin.
With lessons from recent history on his mind, Tepper does not dwell on past decisions. In 2021, he couldn’t fire Joe Brady, his offensive coordinator, fast enough. This announcement followed the Panthers’ season start with a surprisingly poor 5-7 run. There’s no doubt the team went through a great deal of adversity last year. Even so, he chose to remain committed to Canales, who ended his rookie season at 5-12.
As Tepper considers his options, he has to think about just how long he can continue to wait on things to get better. The franchise’s troubling recent history of frequent coaching changes does not bode well for initiative and stability, leaving lingering questions as to Canales’s future.
“I believe I’m the right person to be able to push our concepts and our schemes forward,” – Dave Canales
Canales’s confidence in his abilities stands in contrast to the growing concerns among fans and analysts regarding the team’s direction. Defensive back Jaycee Horn lamented his displeasure with the deal. He can’t come out there and play. That’s just to exemplify the idea that accountability starts well beyond the coaching staff.
Leave a Reply