Carolina Panthers: Fans Shocked by New Revelation of Owner David Tepper’s Draft Methods

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper took over the organization in 2022 after spending over $2 billion.

Tepper has yet to see any amount of success with the Panthers who have gone 31-68 since he took over the organization. Tepper hired a new coach for the 2024 season, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who will be the seventh head coach for the Panthers since Tepper took over.

Now, fans are shocked and outraged at the revelation that Tepper asked his wife, Panthers Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Tepper, for input on who the Panthers should draft.

Nicole Tepper is technically employed by owner David Tepper and the Carolina Panthers

Nicole Tepper is listed as the Chief Administrative Officer on the Panthers’ official website. The job description of which is as follows:

In her role, Nicole’s focus is on growing a culture that values its people and partners, and further engrains the organization in the Carolinas communities. She has played a key role with several philanthropic initiatives across the Carolinas and New Jersey on behalf of the Panthers and the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation.

This description would not imply that Nicole Tepper has any say in any football matters, yet she was asked for her input during the Panthers’ draft process.

🚨TRENDING🚨Nicole Tepper, wife of #Panthers owner David was being asked for her input on draft picks during the draft.

😳😳😳

This is pretty CRAZY, first time we’ve ever seen the owners wife helping make picks.

(h/t @qanthers)
pic.twitter.com/0ER3NqMWDl

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 3, 2024

While it is unclear whether Nicole Tepper has any actual say in who gets drafted, the fact that she was even asked for her input was enough to spark outrage among Panthers fans.

This is not the only evidence of her being involved in the draft process as NFL insider Adam Schefter claimed Nicole Tepper preferred Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud over current Carolina quarterback Bryce Young.

Nicole Tepper preferred CJ Stroud?

Podcast: @PardonMyTake pic.twitter.com/A92bosSkv1

— Michael Rimmer (@avl_mike) March 1, 2024

While the situations the two quarterbacks were brought into were much different, Stroud had a historic rookie season and led the Texans to a playoff win while Young struggled to muster out a 2-15 record.

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has struggled with the draft since taking over the organization

Tepper has not had much success in the draft since taking over the organization in 2018. Arguably his two best draft picks since then, wide receiver D.J. Moore and pass rusher Brian Burns, are no longer with the team.

Other notable picks made by Tepper are defensive tackle Derrick Brown, cornerback Jaycee Horn and defensive backs Jeremy Chinn and Donte Jackson. After that handful of players, the number of “successful” draft picks made by Tepper started to become much harder to find.

Only two players, Brown and tight end Ian Thomas, from the 2018 NFL Draft to the 2020 NFL Draft remain on the Panthers’ squad. Other notable picks like wide receivers Terrance Marshall Jr. and Jonathan Mingo, running back Chubba Hubbard and tight end Tommy Tremble are still with the team but have a lot to prove in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers fans continued to be vocal about their displeasure with owner David Tepper

Fans took to social media to express their disappointment with Tepper after learning he asked his wife for input during the draft.

Fans have already been vocal when it comes to knocking Tepper for his draft capabilities. So much so that Tepper went viral for confronting a fan who expressed his displeasure with Tepper’s draft picks on a sign in front of his restaurant.

Carolina Panthers Owner David Tepper confronted a local restaurant owner in Charlotte for their sign asking him to let the GM and coach make their draft picks this year 💀👀
pic.twitter.com/KPqtw7xOAO

— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) April 26, 2024

Now, fans have continued to take aim at Tepper and the Panthers for poor draft decisions with the revelation that his wife may have played a role in those decisions.

This franchise is going to be a train wreck as long as Tepper is there

— nopicksnix (@nopicksnix) July 3, 2024

Poor panthers fans lmao. Tepper is the new dan snyder.

— CLIPS (@yourclipss) July 3, 2024

No wonder they suck so bad

— Mr Unlimmmited (@chris_ferland) July 3, 2024

This is why we haven’t had a winning season with them as the owners. 🤦‍♂️

— T Rea (@ThomasRea52) July 3, 2024

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