A Carolina Catastrophe

The Carolina Panthers have had a rough past couple of years. Last season they put up a horrible 2-15 record, finishing last in the NFL, while this season they started off with a 1-2 record through three weeks. This bad stretch has occurred under a variety of head coaches, finally landing on Dave Canales, owner David Tepper, quarterback Bryce Young, and an underwhelming supporting cast as a roster. 

When a team has a stretch as bad as the Panthers have had, not only does team morale drop, but fans lose interest in the program. Sophomore Aidan Flynn has been a fan since 2015 when the Panthers went to the Super Bowl. Aidan says that the past few years have “been very disappointing,” and it has come to a point where he is surprised when the Panthers win a game. 

After ending their season at the bottom of the league, fans around the nation had low expectations for the Panthers. Aidan’s expectations were in accordance with the majority. He said “Before week 3, it looked like we were even worse than we were last year. It was so bad, I even thought we were going to go 0-17. But I have new hope for the team now.” 

In week three, the Panthers won their first game since December 17, 2023, when they beat the Atlanta Falcons. Aidan said this win has raised morale among fans, although he does not expect the Panthers to be in playoff contention. 

The Panthers face an issue caused by several factors. Aidan says “Bryce Young was an issue with our offense. But as a whole, [he] feels like the Panthers owner, David Tepper, is the issue.” He stated that David Tepper seems to be overstepping his role as an owner and is too involved with the football aspect of the team. 

Although expectations remain low after their win, Aidan’s hope for the Panthers is for them to win seven games this season. The team has bright spots that fans can look forward to, such as young, developing running back Chuba Hubbard, and other young stars on the team. Heading forward, Aidan hopes to see a slight improvement in the team, in order to spark a revival of high-morale fans in and around the city of Charlotte.

Bryce Young appears frustrated after a yet another poor performance. Photo Credit: Fox Sports