Chansky's Notebook: Steep Learning Curve

David Tepper proved that money doesn’t make you smart.

The billionaire owner of the Carolina Panthers made his money in the financial world. But it took him until the very end of his press conference after firing coach Matt Rhule to admit that he has a lot to learn about pro football.

Tepper had reason to fire the popular Ron Rivera a year after he took over the franchise in 2018, but hiring a college coach with one year of NFL experience – AND giving him a seven-year, $62 million contract – is not smart by any business or football measure.

Rhule was 10-23 his first two seasons, and rumors about the locker room falling apart were rampant. But Tepper gave him a third year amidst speculation that Rhule wanted to be back in college coaching. It didn’t help that he told his unruly team one day after practice that he “could get any college job” he wanted.

Now, after a dismal 1-4 start this season with seemingly perennial quarterback problems, Tepper fired Rhule and two of his assistants, elevating defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who coached the Arizona Cardinals for one year and has interim written all over his title.

Already Rhule, who rebuilt programs at Temple and Baylor, is being mentioned as a candidate to reconstruct the Nebraska project. Unlike with the Panthers, he will have a much more comfortable frame of reference going back into college football.

So what does Tepper do with the Panthers now?

They don’t have a terrible roster, as long as Christian McCaffery stays healthy and can settle on a reliable QB between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who is out for a few weeks with a high ankle sprain. The problem is the franchise isn’t old enough to have generational loyalty, which means the crowds at Bank of America Stadium will dwindle.

Carolina hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017, and that great Super Bowl season is way in the rearview mirror. Despite his enormous wealth that can buy him almost anything, Tepper has not endeared himself to either Charlotte or neighboring South Carolina, where he has reneged on a deal to build a massive practice facility in Rock Hill.

He must know that even the most successful NFL owners had a learning curve, but Tepper is still looking at a steep incline. He said as much as he left the room with an $8 million check still to write to Matt Rhule.

Featured image via Associated Press/Nell Redmond

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Chansky’s Notebook: Steep Learning Curve

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