Tag: Chris Tabor

Chris Tabor reveals who got the worst gift at Panthers’ white elephant party

Which Panther got the worst gift to the special teams unit’s white elephant party?

Even towards the end of what may be the most frustrating season in franchise history, the Carolina Panthers are still finding ways to enjoy the ride.

On Wednesday, interim head coach Chris Tabor was asked how he and the team have been dealing with the frustrating nature of their current 2-13 campaign. After giving a straight response to a serious question, Tabor lightened the mood with some Christmas joy.

“On Saturday morning, the special teams group had a white elephant, little party in the room,” he said. “And to watch those guys, to watch grown men for a good half hour laugh, giggle, make fun of each other, gettin’ presents—it’s a bond. That’s why this is a great team sport.

Also known as a Yankee swap or “Dirty Santa,” the white elephant gift exchange is a holiday party game in which participants deliberately swap impractical presents.

Tabor was then asked who got the worst gift.

“There was a price limit on those things,” he replied. “They asked me if I was gonna get involved, I said no ’cause I don’t spend a lot of money. But, no, there was some good gifts. Tommy [Tremble], I think he’s two years in a row where he’s kinda gotten the bad gift. So he’s improving on the field, but his white-elephant picking is terrible.”

Well, Tremble certainly is improving on the field. The third-year tight end just turned in his most productive outing yet—as he reeled in four receptions for a career-high 59 yards in this past Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.

So, perhaps he should just keep sticking to the game he’s getting quite good at.

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Tarik Cohen says he’s unlikely to play in final weeks

Although he was elevated back to the practice squad on Wednesday, Panthers RB Tarik Cohen said he’s unlikely to make his NFL return in 2023.

Well, maybe it is too late for Tarik Cohen to make his long-awaited comeback.

On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers opened a potential opportunity for the 28-year-old running back—elevating him up to the practice squad after being shelved for nearly two months with a hamstring injury. So, just like he has for much of the season, interim head coach and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor fielded questions about Cohen’s availability.

“We brought him back a little bit too so we’d get some questions on it,” he said jokingly. “Tarik’s very deserving. We had a spot so that he could come back. Glad to get him back out there on the grass and see where he’s at.

“Seriously, it is great to have him around and practicing. Because what he brings to practice and how he practices, it’s great to have around.”

Tabor was then asked if he thinks Cohen has a shot at playing in at least one of the two final games of the campaign.

“I can never promise anything,” he replied. “And therefore, I won’t answer that question. I want everybody that’s on our team to have an opportunity to play, and he’s no different.”

Unfortunately, however, Cohen himself doesn’t seem to think he’ll have that opportunity.

Cohen has not played an NFL down since Week 3 of the 2020 season, when he sustained ACL and MCL tears as well as a tibial plateau fracture. The former All-Pro returner also tore his Achilles during an offseason workout last spring.

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Chris Tabor heated after Week 16 loss to Packers: ‘I’m disappointed’

Contrary to the official ruling, Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor believed his offense spiked the ball in time for a potential game-tying FG in Week 16.

Carolina Panthers interim head coach Chris Tabor was not in the holiday spirit after his team’s heartbreaking Christmas Eve loss.

Despite making inroads on what seemed to be two insurmountable fourth-quarter deficits, the Panthers fell one play short on Sunday. Their 33-30 defeat to the Green Bay Packers was punctuated by an expiring game clock, one that hit all zeros when quarterback Bryce Young’s spike apparently came just nanoseconds short.

An irritated Tabor, who “absolutely” thought his offense had one second left, was asked if he received an explanation from the officials.

“No,” he simply replied.

He was then asked if the lack of an explanation is what upset him.

“I’m disappointed,” he said sternly. “I’m disappointed for those guys in that room. They laid everything out on the line right there. And we played, we ran out of time. We’re gettin’ better. There’s no doubt about that. I think that’s evident of how we’re playin’.

“I don’t like to lose. Nobody likes to lose. When you’re keepin’ score, you don’t like to lose and we lost. So it hurts at this moment. And it hurts because you care. And you care about the guys you’re in battle with and I love ’em to death.”

Tabor’s Panthers fought off imminent death throughout the fourth quarter. A pair of touchdown connections between Young and wide receiver DJ Chark, which occurred within three minutes of one another, erased a 14-point hole and evened the game up with four minutes remaining.

Then, after a 32-yard field goal from kicker Anders Carlson pushed the Packers to a 33-30 lead with just 19 seconds left, they fought back again. But Young’s two quick 22-yard completions, which got Carolina down to the Green Bay 31-yard line, weren’t quick enough.

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DJ Chark’s Week 15 catch is 2nd-most improbable completion of 2023

Week 15’s clutch 18-yard connection between Bryce Young and DJ Chark is the second-most improbable completion of the entire 2023 season.

Carolina Panthers teammates Bryce Young and DJ Chark did the (near) impossible this past Sunday.

On the eighth play of their game-winning 90-yard drive against the Atlanta Falcons, Young and Chark connected on an absolute beauty of a sideline pass. The 18-yard gain not only helped set up the eventual walk-off field goal from kicker Eddy Piñeiro, but it also registered as one of the season’s most improbable plays.

Interim head coach Chris Tabor was asked about the catch on Wednesday.

“Unbelievable,” Tabor responded. “Unbelievable. And talked a little bit about that today. It was a great throw, it was a great catch, the way he got his feet down. I was standin’ right there . . . ’cause I thought, well, maybe it’s gonna be close, but I was right there. He clearly got it down. That was a big-time play and really happy for him to step up in that moment and make the play.”

Young also spoke about the reception this afternoon.

“It was just a one-on-one opportunity,” he said. “And then just trustin’ in DJ. Wanted to give him a chance, give him an opportunity where he can go up and make a play on the ball. And that’s not an easy play at all. DJ did a great job of makin’ a really tough catch, gettin’ two feet inbounds. But it was just givin’ him a chance, just trustin’ him. And he definitely made me look good with that.”

Chark, who hasn’t had the greatest of years, finished the wet and windy afternoon with just that one catch. But we must admit—if you only make one catch, that’s a pretty good catch to make.

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Chris Tabor on Bryce Young: ‘You’re watchin’ a player get better’

Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor praised Bryce Young for his clutch bounce-back performance in Week 15.

In a season full of stagnancy, Bryce Young just took a big step forward.

This past Sunday, the rookie quarterback orchestrated an impressive 17-play, 90-yard drive to help push his Carolina Panthers to a 9-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. And now that he’s had more time to take it all in, interim head coach Chris Tabor was asked about Young’s outing from Week 15.

“I think he’s playin’ well,” Tabor told reporters on Wednesday. “I know the previous game to this last one, he wanted some things back there and I know that was talked about. But the way he bounced back in this game, I thought was really a great step for him.”

After recording his lowest completion percentage of the season in the Week 14 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Young stepped up with his most clutch performance yet. The No. 1 overall pick was six-of-six for 58 yards on the game-winning drive, one that ended in a walk-off 23-yard field goal from NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Eddy Piñeiro.

He finished the contest with his second-highest passer rating of 2023 (93.6).

Tabor, who praised Young for his “big-time” throws in the comeback, went on to make note of the 22-year-old’s growth.

“He’s very accurate,” he added. “I think it’s one of the great skills he has, and he can anticipate throws and those things. You’re watchin’ a player get better. There’s always gonna be some ups and downs with a younger player, and even older players. But I like where he’s at right now.”

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Will Ihmir Smith-Marsette continue to have an expanded role on offense?

Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor spoke about WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s expanding role on offense.

The Carolina Panthers may have themselves a new full-time gadget.

A good amount of time this past summer was spent on finding a sweet spot for wideout Laviska Shenault Jr., who possesses the tools to be a two-fold threat on offense. But after an injury-plagued season phased him out of their plans, the Panthers may have found a similar type of spark in fellow receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Smith-Marsette provided some spice for Carolina in their 9-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Aside from his usual work on special teams, he squeezed in four rushing attempts for a total of 31 yards.

On Monday, interim head coach Chris Tabor was asked what Smith-Marsette meant to the team in their second victory of the campaign.

“I think he’s a player that kinda keeps growin’,” he said. “His role is beginning to expand on offense, which I’m excited to see. I just think whatever opportunity he gets, he’ll take advantage of. And that’s kinda where he’s at right now.

“He’s doin’ a nice job with regards to making good decisions in the punt return game. We got him on some jet sweeps—and then the motion and then throwin’ it out to him out there kinda turned into a punt return play for him. And I thought the offense did a good job of utilizing his skill set.”

Whether it was under the play-calling of former head coach Frank Reich or offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, the Panthers offense has proven to be a tad stale throughout this rough campaign. Heck, they’re still without a touchdown over their last eight quarters.

But perhaps these last three weeks will give them, and Smith-Marsette, a chance to experiment.

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Chris Tabor talks about Gabe Jackson’s impressive team debut

Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor talked about why the team went to Gabe Jackson in the second half of Sunday’s win.

Another week, another impressive relief outing for a hog molly. And this time, it was newbie Gabe Jackson doing the work.

Sunday’s 9-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons marked the Carolina Panthers debut of Gabe Jackson. And the 10th-year veteran, who came on for starting right guard Nash Jensen in the second half, impressed interim head coach Chris Tabor.

“He came in there, we ripped off a couple good runs there, right away when he came in,” Tabor said on Monday afternoon. “He’s a strong player, been around the block, has a lot of experience. And it was just something that we felt like we just needed to do at that time. Thought that he did some really nice things.

“And as I always say, it’s any player, he’s gonna want some plays back. And we’ll work hard this week to get those things rectified and build off the things that he did well. But really pleased with his performance . . . for a guy that just got here.”

Jackson was signed to the team’s practice squad back on Nov. 29. The 32-year-old called up for the second time in Week 15, and made the most out of his first opportunity on the field.

Pro Football Focus graded Jackson out at an overall mark of 72.2—the third-highest on the Carolina offense. He was also given a team-best 78.7 in run blocking, which helped contribute to a 129-yard output on the ground.

As of now, however, Tabor told reporters that it’s too early to decide on if Jackson will take the starting duties from Jensen moving forward.

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Chris Tabor on 1st win as interim HC: I couldn’t be more proud

Chris Tabor spoke about his first win as Panthers interim HC.

Ever since stepping into the role of interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers, Chris Tabor has stressed the importance of having fun. Well, some fun was certainly, and finally, had this afternoon.

Week 15 brought the Panthers’ just their second triumph of the season, as Tabor’s crew walked off on the Atlanta Falcons to the tune of a 9-7 win. Appropriately enough, the wet and windy conditions made Sunday a dream scenario for the longtime special teams coordinator, who spoke about the resolve of his crew after the game.

“It was fun,” Tabor replied. “We talked about it all week. We talked about it right in here, startin’ on Wednesday of what the day was gonna look like. From everything—the weather, the wind, how we were gonna have to play the game. And at the end, we just kept sayin’, ‘We are gonna win this game.’ And that’s what they did. Any time you have a 17-play drive at the end of the game to get a walk-off field goal, I think that says something about your kids and your guys. So, I couldn’t be more proud of ’em.”

Rookie quarterback Bryce Young orchestrated a sound 17-play, 90-yard drive to get the Panthers on the doorstep of victory for kicker Eddy Piñeiro. And Piñeiro, who was perfect on the day, came through with his third field goal of the contest and his second game-winning boot of the campaign.

Now, moving forward, Tabor is sure to stress of the importance of making plays when they matter—something his guys did in his first win at the helm.

“The thing that I saw today, that you can’t argue with, is that there were plays that needed to be made and they made the plays,” he later added. “So you can say, ‘Hey, did they take a step?’ And based on that game, I’m gonna say they are. So now next week, that’s the standard. And now, can we move it forward and push it forward?”

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Chris Tabor sees no signs of Panthers players just ‘collecting a paycheck’

Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor doesn’t believe his players aren’t phoning in the final weeks of this brutal season.

At 1-12 and with their playoff hopes officially dashed for two weeks now, the Carolina Panthers could easily phone in the rest of what’s been a brutal 2023 campaign. But that’s not the case.

Interim head coach Chris Tabor spoke with reporters this afternoon, just a few days ahead of his team’s Week 15 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. He was asked if he saw any people simply “collecting a check” during last Sunday’s 28-6 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

“No, I did not,” Tabor replied. “I did not. And the reason I can say that is, the tape didn’t say that. I know what the final score was, but I think that you can also say the final score wasn’t indicative of how the game was played.”

The game was played rather close for its first 54 minutes, as the Saints led 14-6 late into the fourth quarter. New Orleans, however, broke away with two touchdowns in a one-minute, 30-second span to clinch Carolina’s sixth consecutive loss.

Tabor then finished up his Friday presser by putting the job into perspective.

“I expect ya, No. 1, be a pro,” he added of his approach in ending the season. “And with that, when you come into the building—let’s have some fun while we’re doin’ it. I’m not changin’, I haven’t changed.

“I’m blessed that I have the opportunity to coach football. I was just out on the grass for two hours and beautiful sunshine, the whole deal. And you look up and you see the skyline, and I did. There was a moment between plays I said to the good Lord, ‘Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity.’ And regardless of what the record is, I’m thankful for the opportunity and I think our guys are the same.”

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Panthers bracing for bad weather in Week 15 game vs. Falcons

Interim HC Chris Tabor said the Panthers are embracing the possibility of a rainy Sunday against the Falcons.

According to interim head coach Chris Tabor, the Carolina Panthers are not only bracing for bad weather this weekend, but they’re also embracing it.

On Friday, Tabor spoke with reporters for the final time before the team’s Week 15 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. And despite what is likely to be a rainy and windy Sunday afternoon, he said his guys are looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m gonna kinda rely back on my years in the AFC North and NFC North, and hopefully that comes into play there,” he replied. “We’re lookin’ forward to it, we’re gonna embrace it. With regards to the passing game and all those things—I think those are things that you just have to evaluate when you get out there. I don’t wanna misquote here, but sometimes the weather can be projected for one thing and not be the other, or vice versa. So, we’ll play it as we see it.”

Sunday’s forecast for Charlotte currently calls for the possibility of heavy rainfall, with an expected accumulation of one to two inches. Additionally, winds are expected to hit anywhere from 10 to 20 mph.

So, yeah, Tabor and the Panthers are also prepared to run.

“I think the line’s done a nice job the past two weeks in runnin’ the football, and so have the backs,” he later added. “And I think there’s some confidence there that’s takin’ place. If you think about, the Tampa game was a rainy game—and we ran the football. And last week, we ran the football again for 200 yards, 205, whatever it is.

“So, I like the identity of where that’s going. And if they say the weather is gonna be like it is and they run the ball, could be a short game.”

That potentially short game should feature Atlanta’s three-headed running back attack of rookie Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson. But the Panthers are currently packing their own punch with Chuba Hubbard, who has rushed for 191 yards and a pair of touchdowns over the last two games.

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