Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is very likely to endeavor in his second head coach search in just four-plus years of ownership. Panthers fans should hope the search goes better than his Monday press conference.
Tepper spent the first 20 minutes of his half-hour presser navigating well the questions of why his seven-year, $62 million coach didn’t work out. In the final 10 minutes, the hedge fund billionaire turned “aggressive, defensive and spiteful,” according to one AFC team staffer, revealing his combative, sharp-elbowed nature that helped him get on the Forbes list but has soured his southern fanbase and many observers around the league.
“I heard dealing with him makes it hard to do your job,” said one NFC personnel executive. “Similar to the press conference, dealing with that every day. …”
“Contrition is not a big trait of his,” said a high-ranking club executive.
“He wears his frustrations on his sleeve,” said a different high-ranking club executive, who gave the most charitable read of Tepper among the nearly dozen sources contacted by CBS Sports. “Introspective, humbling press conferences are not what you normally see in the NFL.”
Said one agent: “Any [coach] with options will use him for leverage.”
Wilks’ audition
Steve Wilks is now the interim head coach in Carolina after Matt Rhule received his walking papers after beginning his third season 1-4. The Panthers went 11-27 under Rhule, and they now have to begin the final 12 games of this season with PJ Walker and Jacob Eason as their two healthy quarterbacks.
Why is a coaching search inevitable for Tepper? Could the next permanent head coach of the Panthers be the current interim?
“No promises were made,” Tepper said Monday. “But if he does an incredible job, he’d have to be considered for that.”
Interims rarely get the job. Rich Bisaccia took over a 3-2 Raiders team last year riddled with controversies, went 7-5 in the final 12 games and made the playoffs in a difficult AFC West and still didn’t get the permanent job.
Wilks is known for a warm but direct leadership style with his players. A Charlotte native, Wilks is in his second stint with the Panthers after having previously served as the defensive coordinator there in 2017. That same year the Rams interviewed him for their head coach opening that ultimately went to Sean McVay.
The Arizona Cardinals hired Wilks in 2018 to be their head coach. Sources…
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