Tag: David Tepper

Report: Panthers will be ‘aggressive’ trying to acquire Deshaun Watson

According to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, Carolina will be “aggressive” trying to acquire Watson. Watch.

Hold onto your butts and get your hopes up. The Carolina Panthers are expected to be players in the sweepstakes to trade with the Houston Texans for star quarterback Deshaun Watson.

According to a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL Network, Carolina will be “aggressive” trying to acquire Watson. Watch.

Aside from the Chiefs, just about every NFL team should be giving Houston a call to see what it would take. Watson has as much trade value as any player in the league outside of Patrick Mahomes.

Any deal for Watson would have to include multiple first-round picks and the Panthers’ aren’t as valuable as some other teams that are expected to be in the running. That said, making a move for Watson would be very-much on brand for team owner David Tepper, as well as new general manager Scott Fitterer. The Seahawks made a habit of aggressive trades while Fitterer was a part of their front office, making bold moves to acquire Jimmy Graham and Percy Harvin, among others.

Their chances are probably relatively low compared to teams like the Jets and the Dolphins, but we officially have to consider this as a possibility.

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David Tepper describes ‘collaborative effort’ between Scott Fitterer, Matt Rhule

Panthers owner David Tepper has found the model that he wants to build his organization on.

Panthers owner David Tepper has found the model that he wants to build his organization on. While he interviewed a number of candidates from successful teams like the Steelers and the Patriots, ultimately he decided to emulate what the Seahawks have had going for them the last decade.

For the uninitiated, Seattle had a unique decision-making process compared to many NFL teams. John Schneider has been their general manager since 2010, but it wasn’t a buck-stops-here kind of arrangement. Schneider has also shared power with coach Pete Carroll as well as high-level executives like Scot McCloughan and Scott Fitterer, who is currently being introduced as the new GM for Carolina.

It sounds like Tepper wants a similar arrangement for his team. During the introductory press conference for Fitterer, Tepper described a “collaborative effort” between Fitterer and coach Matt Rhule.

Rhule’s influence is the x-factor here. It’s notable that the franchise only gave a five-year deal to Fitterer while Rhule still has six left on his contract, one of the most lucrative for any coach in the league.

While Fitterer has the shiny new title, it’s clear that Rhule wields more power than the average coach, especially one with his experience in the NFL. As long as the two share a team-building philosophy the collaborative team effort Tepper described today has a chance to succeed.

The first project they’ll work on together is deciding who should be the starting quarterback. For now, Teddy Bridgewater has the job by default. Public comments by both Tepper and Rhule indicate his days are numbered, though.

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Panthers owner David Tepper discusses decision to hire Scott Fitterer as GM

Here’s the clip that’s making the rounds, which includes some perceived shade thrown at starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

One week after he was hired, we’ll finally get Scott Fitterer’s first press conference as Panthers GM tomorrow. Tonight there are a few interesting stories circulating regarding the decision, most of all regarding team owner David Tepper.

Here’s the clip that’s making the rounds, which includes some perceived shade thrown at starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Not exactly subtle.

This isn’t really breaking news, though. Tepper has been pretty up-front about his dissatisfaction with the quarterback situation, which had to be a huge factor in why Hurney was dismissed a month ago. The moves to release Cam Newton with one year on his deal and sign Teddy Bridgewater backfired on the organization pretty badly.

There’s a chance that Bridgewater could still deliver and show a lot of improvement running this offense in 2021 – especially since it seems offensive coordinator Joe Brady is likely to stick around after striking out for head coach jobs.

That said, Tepper’s statements and Matt Rhule’s “we’ll see what happens” comments send a clear signal.

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Carolina Panthers GM search: 8 potential candidates that could be on the radar

This morning, the Carolina Panthers fired general manager Marty Hurney. Now, the search for his replacement begins.

This morning, the Carolina Panthers fired general manager Marty Hurney. Now, the search for his replacement begins.

At this point, nobody knows who team owner David Tepper is actually going to hire, but we asked around the network to try to find potential candidates in other front offices. With the help of some other editors around the NFL Wire network, here’s a list of people who could be on Tepper’s radar to fill the post.

Carolina Panthers can GM Marty Hurney

GM Marty Hurney has been fired by the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers have their coach in Matt Rhule. They are in the market for a GM after firing Marty Hurney on Monday over “philosophical differences.”

“You look at successful organizations, and there’s a certain alignment between the head coach and the GM,” owner David Tepper said. “To think that you can do that without some sort of alignment is nuts. So to not have a head coach with some input into that is stupid. I don’t want to be stupid, OK?

“I think sometimes you just need a restart, a refresh,” Tepper said. “We did it last year on the coaching side. Maybe you could say it should have been done before on the GM side. Maybe it should have been. I’m sure people may say that, or otherwise, on both sides.

“I think it’s just time, on both sides, to do that. It just seems like the right time to move forward.”

Hurney’s contract was up in June but he is out of the job immediately.

Per Panthers.com:

Tepper’s not just looking for a new GM. He’s looking for a way to build an entire football operation for years to come, to be something the Panthers have not been. In 26 years, they’re 199-214-1, and Tepper’s trying to steer them beyond the middle of the road.

“I’m trying to figure out what should be the right structure for an organization today,” he said. “Just because there’s been the same structure in the NFL forever in a lot of places doesn’t mean it should be the same structure now.”

Q: Are you concerned about the perception that Rhule is in charge of things now?

Tepper: “Matt Rhule does not want to run that show. He has a lot to do with running the football team and doing what he does. I don’t think there will be too much of a difference than what it is right now.”

The Panthers are 4-10 in a year that has seen them have star running back Christian McCaffrey miss all but three games due to multiple injuries.

Watch: Panthers owner David Tepper discusses what he’s looking for in a GM

Watch Tepper talk about what he’s looking for in a new GM.

The boss ain’t messing around. Today, Panthers owner David Tepper fired general manager Marty Hurney, again making it clear that mediocrity won’t be tolerated long around these parts. So, what comes next?

Let’s hear from the man himself. Watch Tepper talk about what he’s looking for in a new GM.

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Analysis: The Panthers made the right call moving on from Marty Hurney

In the end, Hurney didn’t give Tepper much of a choice.

When Panthers owner David Tepper bought the team a couple of years ago, he made it pretty clear that he would not tolerate losing for long. In his introductory press conference, Tepper famously declared that his top three priorities were winning, winning and winning.

Since then, the organization has undergone more changes than any other team in the NFL. Beginning with the firing of former coach Ron Rivera last December, continuing with the massive 2020 offseason purge of the roster and culminating in today’s sudden dismissal of general manager Marty Hurney, Tepper’s influence has officially turned the team upside down.

In the end, Hurney didn’t give Tepper much of a choice. While he has been more than adept at finding elite talents in the first round of the draft, the rest of the job proved far more difficult for Hurney. The team’s record during his two tenures as GM was well under the .500 mark and his confusing, outdated team-building philosophy played a major role in that disappointment.

Until a change was made, Carolina was likely to continue floundering as a mediocre or low-quality team compared to the competition.

There’s no guarantee whoever replaces Hurney will be a brilliant GM who carries the franchise to its first Super Bowl win. What was clear was that the Panthers had gone as for as Hurney could take them.

This development solidifies coach Matt Rhule’s status as the face of the organization and the most powerful person in the building aside from Tepper. He still has six more years left after this season on his contract, which makes him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

While Rhule’s early 4-10 record might indicate that he’s going to struggle at this level after a successful college career, the early signs show Rhule does know what he’s doing. That means today’s news should be celebrated by Carolina fans who are eager to see the franchise become a contender again.

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Watch: Panthers owners talk early voting, TNF on Good Morning Football

Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper talk early voting, fans on Good Morning Football.

Carolina Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper were guests on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football episode this morning. They touched on a lot of different things, including voting at Bank of America Stadium and tonight’s game against the Falcons.

Watch.

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Report: Panthers owner David Tepper, RB Christian McCaffrey buy mansions

Panthers owner David Tepper, RB Christian McCaffrey both buy mansions in Charlotte area.

Money can’t buy happiness. It can get you a pretty cool house, though. Recently, two prominent Panthers both bought mansions in the Charlotte area.

According to a report by Katie Peralta at the Charlotte Agenda, team owner David Tepper bought a mansion from former Carolina head coach John Fox in Quail Hollow for $5.35 million. Tepper apparently paid all cash. The report states that he also owns a mansion in the Hamptons and his official residence is in Florida, where he pays no income tax.

Tepper’s best player also recently got himself a new landing pad. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has purchased a mansion in Lake Norman for $7.5 million, per Vashti Hurt’s Carolina Blitz.

McCaffrey is currently on the team’s injured reserve list with a high ankle sprain. He will be eligible to return to the active roster next week, but the initial prognosis was that he’d miss 4-6 weeks, so he might be out a bit longer than that.

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Where does Marty Hurney rank compared to the rest of the GMs in the NFL?

Where would you rank Hurney among today’s GMs?

David Tepper has remodeled his franchise more than any owner in the NFL this offseason. From overhauling the roster and the coaching staff to tearing down the former owner’s statue, almost everything about the Panthers organization has changed in 2020.

One man who seems impervious to the earthquakes going on around him is general manager Marty Hurney. For what it’s worth, Tepper has never publicly wavered in his esteem for his GM. Not everyone shares Tepper’s confidence in Hurney, though.

According to ESPN’s annual future power rankings, Carolina’s front office is only ranked No. 27 compared to the competition. The team also ranked low (No. 25) in the Draft category.

Some analysts believe that’s a bridge too far, though. For example, Patrick Daugherty at Rotowold has Hurney ranked No. 20 in the league going into the 2020 season. That ranking might seem generous compared to ESPN’s, but Daugherty doesn’t seem to think he’ll last.

“The rebuild from Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly may not be as painful as expected. Operating at the owner’s pleasure even more than most general managers, Hurney has nothing to lose as his second go-around as Panthers personnel boss winds down.”

What stings most about these particular rankings is that former Carolina exec and current Bills GM Brandon Beane earned a well-deserved spot in the top 10.

Hurney’s strong record with first-rounders affords him enough respect not to be ranked among the folks running the perpetually-dysfunctional Lions and Jets. Those picks won’t save his job forever, though. During his two terms as GM the Panthers have a record below .500. Tepper may not tolerate that for much longer.

Let’s vote. Where would you rank Hurney among today’s GMs?

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