Eye On The Media:
On Widely Watched “Fox NFL Sunday” Program,
Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson Blasts David Tepper
— “He has got to listen to his football people and stop playing fantasy football”
— “It’s gonna be years before they turn this thing around”
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
On the popular “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show, which leads into the league’s 1 pm games each week and has averaged more than 5.2 million viewers thus far in 2024, Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson repeatedly ridiculed Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper for his ongoing mismanagement of the franchise.
The same show segment also included the observations of Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw on second-year Panthers QB Bryce Young, who lost his starting job this week to backup Andy Dalton after the team’s ugly 0-2 start.
Tepper is in his seventh season as Carolina’s owner, after purchasing the franchise in May 2018 from its founder, Jerry Richardson. The Panthers have had seven head coaches since that transition if those with the interim designation are included.
Johnson was a two-time Super Bowl champion as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Bradshaw was a four-time Super Bowl champion as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Panthers, who are averaging a league-worst 6.5 points per game and giving up a league-worst 36.5 points per game, play at 1-1 Las Vegas at 4:05 pm today.
Below is a complete transcript of the entire exchange among Johnson, Bradshaw and studio host Curt Menefee.
Menefee: While the Saints are on fire, the Panthers seem like, well, another kind of fire right now.
Carolina benched Bryce Young this week, just 18 games into his pro career, TB. Can he bounce back?
Bradshaw: Absolutely. Look, this kid played at Alabama, a big-time program. You saw the pressure, all the critique from all the media.
Not a problem with him. Most #1 picks in the NFL at quarterback always get benched; I know that for a fact (points to himself as a former #1 overall pick). He’s had three head coaches, two offensive coordinators, three quarterback coaches. C’mon! Really? Give me some help here.
He just needs some talent (around him). He needs to grow up and understand everything about the game of the NFL, and he will.
Johnson: Why’s (Young) had all these coordinators and all these head coaches? The owner of the Carolina Panthers. That’s the problem. He’s making the major decisions without listening to his football people.
David Tepper. You look at him. Now, it’s his team; he can do whatever he wants to, but look at the people that’s left. Now (Tepper) is the one that wanted Bryce Young as the #1 pick … (indecipherable) Christian McCaffrey, DJ Moore, Brian Burns, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold (have all left the Panthers in recent years). Look at coaches — Steve Wilks, Frank Reich, Matt Rhule, on and on. He’s run ‘em all off! He’s making the decisions.
He has got to listen to his football people and stop playing fantasy football.
Menefee: How do you deal with it as a head coach, then, if you’ve got an owner who’s not listening to your football people? Can they ever turn it around there as long as he’s the owner?
Johnson: You keep getting beat, you’re gonna say, “Hey, wait a minute. I may not be doing it right. I’d better listen to somebody that’s been doing it his entire life.”
Bradshaw: I don’t think that’s how (Tepper) works. He’s an $8 billion worth man.
Johnson: $20 billion!
Bradshaw: Twenty?! I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. $20 billion? Yeah, he could care less.
Johnson: He’s gotta listen to his football people! They’ve been doing it every day of their life. You know, I was told one time, “Jimmy, you go to bed at night thinking about football. You wake up in the morning thinking about football.” Well, that’s what these people that are trying to advise him are doing. Listen to ‘em!
Menefee: Jimmy, give me one reason for Carolina fans to have hope — one — cause the owner, they’re not gonna change. What can they wrap their hands around and say, “This is ours.”
Johnson (throwing his hands up in frustration): It’s a fun game to watch.
Menefee (chuckles): They can watch the other team score?
Johnson: That’s exactly right. It’s gonna be years before they turn this thing around.
