Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season finds the Carolina Panthers organization under fire once again.
The Panthers’ choice to bench 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young in favor of seasoned quarterback Andy Dalton ignited the debate around the team. During this time, Young received support from NFL teammates, other athletes, and fans, who also disparaged the company.
Today on “FOX NFL Sunday,” the panelists talked about how likely it is for the Panthers to win with Dalton at quarterback. Jimmy Johnson, a former NFL coach and presenter, shifted the topic of criticism from the coaching staff and player roster to how poorly the team is managed.
“David Tepper has had numerous head coaches and coordinators.” The issue is with the Carolina Panthers’ owner. Johnson remarked, “He’s making the big decisions without consulting his football people.”
The Panthers have had nine head coaches since 1995. With nine seasons under their belts, John Fox and Ron Rivera are the Panthers’ longest-tenured coaches. Perry Fewell, Steve Wilks, Frank Reich, Chris Tabor, and Rivera were all fired after just one season. They were outlasted by two more seasons by Matt Rhule.
Additionally, Johnson criticized Tepper’s subpar performance in the deals involving Christian McCaffrey, Brian Burns, and D.J. Moore. The team lost first and second round picks in 2023, a first round pick in 2024, and a second round pick in 2025 in the D.J. Moore deal, which was highlighted by the “Fox NFL Sunday” crew.
The franchise lost out on previous quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, who are currently succeeding on other teams, even though Tepper coveted Young.
Johnson claimed that Tepper “ran them all off.”
“He has got to listen to his football people and quit playing fantasy football.”
Johnson has experience managing an owner who takes bold choices. Following his second Super Bowl victory with the Dallas Cowboys in 1994, Johnson and Jerry Jones got into a public spat. Jones was “in charge of the money,” while Johnson was in charge of “football decisions.” However, as Johnson gained recognition and success instead of Jones, a breach developed between the two.
When the crew questioned Johnson about what would happen if Tepper didn’t listen to his football experts, Johnson said, “If you keep losing, you’re going to say, ‘Hey, hold on. Maybe I’m not doing it correctly. I should pay attention to someone who has been doing it.
