CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers team owner David Tepper said Tuesday during a press conference that he’s committed to bringing winning football to the Carolinas. He fired head coach Frank Reich on Monday amid a dismal 1-10 season.
“Things are constantly evolving and they’ll continue to evolve,” Tepper said Tuesday. “Trying to make things better is what you always try to do. Obviously, that record’s not good enough. There’s no hiding it, it is what it is. That record’s that record. Like I said, it’s not good enough. We’re going to self-reflect and make it better.”
For the second year in a row, the Panthers fired their head coach in the middle of a losing season. Frank Reich’s tenure was the shortest for an NFL coach in 45 years.
The final straw came Sunday as the Panthers posted their 10th loss of the season to the Tennessee Titans. The team is 1-10 with rookie quarterback Bryce Young showing little progress. He’s been sacked 40 times this season – the second-most in the league.
Tepper said he understands fans’ frustration.
“We will make it better,” he said.
Tepper wouldn’t speak to a timeline for when a new head coach could come into the role.
“I’m not going to get into those particulars but I do have patience,” Tepper said. “My reputation away from this game is one for extreme patience. There’s no reason that doesn’t come here, too. That patience comes with good performance and things you want to see, progress you want to see in different aspects. As I said, I’d like to have somebody here for 20, 30 years. I’d like to have somebody that would say a eulogy at my funeral in 40 years. That’s what I’d like to have.”
Special teams coach Chris Tabor will take over as head coach in the interim.
Carolina’s record under Tepper is 30-63.
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