These have not been easy times for the Carolina Panthers
They lost quarterback Cam Newton earlier this season to a foot injury that will require surgery. Founding owner Jerry Richardson agreed to sell the club in 2018 after a scandal concerning his personal behavior. And the club hasn’t won its division since 2015, nor will it this year.
And now that new owner, David Tepper, has decided to fire longtime coach Ron Rivera and put his stamp on the football operations.
Tepper, of course, is qualified to make football decisions because he made billions running a hedge fund. Would you hire a successful football coach to run a hedge fund? Of course not. But team owners love to get involved in an area completely foreign to their training, generally to no good end.
Rivera’s dismissal won’t damage his fine reputation. He was in his ninth season with the Panthers and he leaves with a winning record and a trip to the Super Bowl during a 15-1 campaign in 2015. Several other NFL teams will also be canning coaches in the weeks ahead and Rivera will be considered for some openings (including on the college level).
Firings are inevitable in the NFL. Either the coach’s message grows stale overtime or the talent level declines and a hedge fund owner decides to put his thumbprint in a place it probably ought not be. Old saying – players play, coaches coach, owners own.
You haven’t seen the last of Rivera, twice the NFL’s coach of the year. You may have seen the last of the Panthers, currently 5-7, as a contender for a while.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
-
The Bears got Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut a deal...
-
Belichick has cycled through several players in search of the right one. Recently, the New England Patriots have been...
-
The field needs new posts after overzealous fans dumped the old ones in the river. Over the weekend, the...
-
Hutchinson grew up idolizing the Patriots and Tom Brady. This Sunday, the Detroit Lions are scheduled to take on...
-
Judge has broken Babe Ruth’s record and tied with Roger Maris. Last week, New York Yankees center fielder and...
-
Judge is one homer away from beating the Bambino’s record. Babe Ruth, AKA The Great Bambino, AKA The Sultan...
-
Trout is one homer off from an MLB record. Last night, the Los Angeles Angels played the Cleveland Guardians....
-
Jones spoke about the new offense at their training camp. The New England Patriots are currently in the midst...
-
A fight broke out on the last day of joint practice. Thursday was the last day of joint practice...
-
Donaldson clinched the game for his team in extra innings. Wednesday night saw a major nail-biter game between the...
-
The Yankees have landed two impressive players from the Oakland Athletics. The New York Yankees, superstars of the American...
-
NFL+ offers game coverage for $4.99 a month. Following suit with other companies and brands establishing their own streaming...