Panthers owner David Tepper on firing Matt Rhule: ‘We have to get over the hump’
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper wants to get over the hump in the NFL.
He laid out what that looks like on Monday following the firing of head coach Matt Rhule.
“It’s winning,” Tepper said. “Winning more this year than you did last year. Have the appearance of winning more than you did last year. Looking like you’re going to win more than you did last year. By that definition, I don’t think we’re over the hump. We start off 1-4 this year, had five wins the past two seasons, had a different lack of success in other seasons, so we have to somehow change that culture.”
Tepper watched Sunday as his home stadium was taken over by San Francisco 49ers fans. He heard the boos and “Fire Matt Rhule” chants during the team’s three-game homestand that closed emphatically with a 37-15 loss to the 49ers.
“There’s numerous reasons why you make a decision,” Tepper said. “There might have been a little bit of a loss of intensity on the field yesterday (against the 49ers). I would say that’s probably evident versus the first four games. Listen, I do have a great respect for the fans and I do hear the fans. But, ultimately, that can’t be a reason why you make a change like this. Again, there’s numerous reasons why you make a change like this.”
The Panthers were 11-27 under Rhule’s leadership. He will now be replaced by interim head coach Steve Wilks, who went 3-13 with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 during his lone season as an NFL head coach.
Tepper said he had a short conversation with Rhule before chatting with Wilks and deciding that he would be the immediate replacement for the top job.
“Steve is a leader of men,” Tepper said. “He has experience as a head coach. And I thought he’s the best candidate in the building for that role.”
Along with moving on from Rhule, defensive coordinator Phil Snow and special teams assistant Ed Foley also parted ways with the franchise. While Tepper wouldn’t reveal the decision-maker behind those two dismissals, the owner said that the head coach — in this case, the interim head coach — typically gets to choose who will be on his staff.
Tepper said the firings were made to create a culture of winning for a franchise that has been a seesaw of inconsistency.
“I think that we have to figure out how to get a culture of winning here, which we haven’t had in a long time in this place,” Tepper said. “And as I said at some point, we’ve never have won — this town, this team — has never had two winning seasons (in a row). So, I don’t think it ever had a really culture of winning. So, how do you develop that culture of winning, between players, coaches and the rest? And, look, like I said, you have to understand the resources you have and try to get the best resources you have — so that’s a question of looking over the roster you have right now, trying how to figure out how you can have the best roster in the future.”
While Rhule, Snow and Foley are out, Tepper — at least for now — is sticking with GM Scott Fitterer, who was hired in 2021 after Rhule’s arrival in Charlotte. Tepper routinely said that questions about the future were premature, as the owner refused to look past this season, with Wilks and Fitterer steering the ship for the remainder of the campaign.
When Tepper was asked about the direction that Fitterer had been given following the removal of Rhule, the owner chose to focus on the limitations of the roster-building process.
“Look, we have to be very careful about how we use our limited resources,” Tepper said. “We have $200 million-plus in salary cap, we have how many draft choices we have — so we, including me, to the extent that I’m involved at all — have to be more diligent as to how we do that.”
While Tepper complimented Rhule as a “true gentleman” following his dismissal, the owner didn’t hold back when discussing the downside of the head coach’s tenure. Tepper said the team had improved in some areas under Rhule, but the finished product just wasn’t good enough.
“I think there have been some improvements — there’s always some improvements — but not enough,” Tepper said. “We’re obviously not getting over the hump. So, that’s the bottom line.”
Wilks, a Charlotte native, has 12 games to prove himself to Tepper. If Wilks can “get over the hump,” he could have long-term reign at the top in his hometown.
“There’s a lot of season left, and we’ll see how the season goes,” Tepper said. “Ultimately, he’s in a position to be in consideration for that position. I had a talk with Steve — no promises were made — but, obviously, if he does an incredible job, he had have to be in consideration for that.”
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Panthers owner David Tepper on firing Matt Rhule: ‘We have to get over the hump’."
