Tempers ignited in Panthers-Jaguars game (0:16)
Chaos ensued as the Panthers and Jaguars get in a fierce scuffle on the field in the fourth quarter. (0:16)
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David Newton, ESPN Staff WriterDec 31, 2023, 06:30 PM ET
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- David Newton is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Carolina Panthers. Newton began covering Carolina in 1995 and came to ESPN in 2006 as a NASCAR reporter before joining NFL Nation in 2013. You can follow Newton on Twitter at @DNewtonespn.
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was caught in the heat of the moment during Sunday’s 26-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, seemingly throwing a drink in the direction of Jaguars fans from his open-air suite at EverBank Stadium. The tense moment was captured on video, which was posted on social media Sunday.
The incident appeared to happen with about three minutes to play after an interception by quarterback Bryce Young, who was visibly frustrated after a sack early in the game that prompted him to throw a tablet on the sideline.
The Panthers have not responded to a request for comment regarding the incident. In response to the video, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy stated that the league is “aware of the video” and has “no further comment at this time.”
This unfortunate incident occurred in a game that ended Carolina’s streak of 342 games (dating back to 2002) without being shut out. Adding to the disappointment, the Panthers (2-14) ensured that they would have the NFL’s worst record, ultimately giving the Chicago Bears (who own Carolina’s pick) the top selection of the 2024 draft.
It’s a particularly disheartening turn of events, as Carolina traded two first-round picks and top receiver DJ Moore to the Bears in April to move from ninth to first to select Young. Shortly after the draft, Tepper assured a group of fans at Bank of America Stadium that Young would lead the Panthers to “Super Bowls.” Unfortunately, things haven’t gone as planned. Young has statistically ranked as one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, and the Panthers have endured six straight losing seasons since Tepper acquired the organization in 2018 for $2.75 billion.
Tepper’s handling of the team has been called into question, as he has fired three head coaches in-season since 2019, including Frank Reich after a 1-10 start to this season and Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start last season.
