No team is without its issues, but some teams have had a bit more this season than most.
Look no further than the Carolina Panthers, who have the worst record in the NFL but already gave up their first-round pick to draft quarterback Bryce Young this past spring.
The Panthers also recently fired head coach Frank Reich after the team’s 1-10 start to the season.
That appears to only be the tip of the iceberg for Carolina.
A recent story by The Athletic’s Joseph Person and Dianna Russini described a “Hunger Games” culture within the Panthers organization that included backstabbing coaches who would text team owner David Tepper instead of speaking with Reich before his firing.
Offensive issues and stunted QB development doomed Frank Reich’s Panthers tenure.
But team employees paint a picture of dysfunction in Carolina.
More, with @DMRussini and @josephperson https://t.co/btd8B30CgN pic.twitter.com/MaDWYBkUTz
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 6, 2023
Person and Russini wrote that they spoke with more than 20 Panthers coaches, players, and other league sources to confirm their reporting.
One assistant said there was a lot of “finger-pointing” within the organization.
Another denigrated Reich’s offense and claimed it wasn’t similar to his successful systems when he was the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts or the offensive coordinator at the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Two big points of contention were Reich’s inability to “fix” Young’s footwork as well as his flip-flopping on who should call the offensive plays.
Reich initially held that mantle before he turned over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown after six games, but took over once more after Week 10.
All of the aforementioned problems resulted in what everyone sees now: a dysfunctional organization with no draft picks, talent, or immediate future.
Tepper, meanwhile, will get another shot to pick his head coach this offseason.
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