Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper showed a sense of humor and resilience when he personally visited a local Charlotte restaurant, the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, after they displayed a sign with a not-so-subtle jab at him in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
The sign advised, “Please let the coach & GM pick this year,” reflecting some fans’ sentiments.
According to Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer, Tepper’s demeanor was “friendly” during his visit. Matt Wohlfarth, the owner of the restaurant, mentioned that this wasn’t Tepper’s first visit; he had previously stopped by after another provocative sign was posted in January that read, “Meddling owners never win. Run from Jerry Jones.” Wohlfarth recalled that Tepper “was sorta pissed off about that one.”
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The signs at the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille resonated with the frustrations of many Panthers fans. Since Tepper took over the franchise in 2018, his tenure has been marked by declining goodwill amidst six consecutive losing seasons and frequent changes in coaching staff, including the brief tenure of Frank Reich.
The recent marquee message seemed to reference the widespread belief that Tepper had a decisive hand in choosing quarterback Bryce Young as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
This perception was underscored by a comment from ESPN’s Stephen Holder, who noted last October that it was “an open secret in the league that the owner heavily influenced the QB choice, which is never ideal.” Following the firing of Reich, Tepper maintained in a press conference that there was a unanimous decision behind selecting Young.
During his visit to the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, Tepper humorously asked the manager who he thought should make the draft picks, a move that underscored his willingness to engage directly with critiques of his management style.
