Report: Panthers' David Tepper Has Taken 'A More Hands-Off Approach' to Team

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are reportedly being given a larger leadership role within the organization.

Panthers owner David Tepper "has taken a more hands-off approach of late," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"He's trying to trust Canales and GM Dan Morgan to get it right, knowing that the roster requires patience in its current state," Fowler wrote. "We shall see if he holds to that."

Tepper was approved as team owner ahead of the 2018 season. The 3-10 Panthers are on track to finish the campaign in the basement of the NFC South for the fourth time in seven seasons under his tenure.

Over that span, the franchise has recorded an overall 34-78 record and never qualified for a postseason berth.

Tepper has previously received fan criticism regarding his reported level of involvement in team operations since purchasing the team.

NBC Sports' Mike Florio reported last year that NFL sources believe Tepper was the force behind the franchise's decision to trade a bevy of picks, including the selection that would later turn into Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, for the right to draft Bryce Young in 2023.

The Tepper era has also been associated with high coaching turnover in Carolina. The Panthers have made three midseason firings over the last five years, including two (Matt Rhule in 2022 and Frank Reich in 2023) in back-to-back campaigns.

After the Panthers finished the 2023 season at the bottom of the league standings with a 2-15 record, ESPN's David Newton reported that multiple NFL executives "suggest Tepper needs to make the new hires and get out of the way."

There's a chance Tepper took those opinions to heart. The owner hired a consulting firm in order to assist him with his search for a new head coach and general manager ahead of the 2024 campaign, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, marking a change from the reportedly internal searches that resulted in the franchise hiring Reich and Rhule.

Fowler believes that Canales, who signed a six-year deal with the Panthers ahead of the 2024 campaign, "should be good" to remain with the team after this season. Given Canales' history of success with underperforming quarterbacks, his return could be an indication Morgan and Tepper are expecting Young's development to continue in 2025 despite his benching earlier this season.