Living in North Carolina, one would expect the majority of NFL fans to be in love with the Carolina Panthers. After the retirement of many star players like Cam Newton, Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn Jr., as well as coaching and ownership problems from David Tepper, it seems like the only thing Carolina will keep pounding is the bottom of the charts.
In the 2024-25 season, the Carolina Panthers had a 5-12 record, landing them tied for last place in their division. A year before, the Panthers racked up a horrific 2-15. To many fans, this was a far cry from their Super Bowl days almost nine years ago. With inconsistencies in coaching, uncertainty in the quarterback position, and an almost universally-disliked owner (David Tepper), it seemed like the Panthers were destined to be in the whole they are in now. In Brunswick County and its surrounding areas, the Panthers fanbase is in a definite drought.
Fans have blamed most aspects of the team for their downfall. From the coaching staff, to the team’s morale, to the lack of skilled players, it seems like every part of the team has been scrutinized. However, many fans blame one man: the owner of the Panthers, David Tepper.
“My favorite NFL team is the Panthers, and I’ll always love how cool they look as a team, but David Tepper is the worst owner ever.” said freshman Julian Bartone. “The losses they’ve suffered are totally his fault for such bad trades. He’s traded our best players like Brian Burns, Gref Olsen and Cam Newton, and we aren’t getting them back.”
There’s no doubt that the downfall of the fanbase has something to do with the recent plummet in skill and organization of the team. Carolina fans want to see them succeed like they did in the past with their star quarterback, and according to teacher Walter Finnigan, it will be a long way to go.
“They need a lot of help, offensively and defensively,” said Finnigan. “If I was the coach, I’d start with their morale. They aren’t very organized as a team, and if they were, they’d be much better than they are. From there, I’d try to extend the reach of our fans outside of Charlotte because that’s exclusively where they have been advertising themselves.”
Across the Carolinas, many people consider the Panthers a “second team.” If their favorite team is not on the TV, then The Panthers are their second choice. In Brunswick County, there are many people not native to North Carolina–many are tourists or transplants, people who have moved for job opportunities or retirement.
“My favorite NFL team is the Baltimore Ravens, but the Panthers are my second favorite team,” said freshman Camden Greensfelder. “People in NC might not like the Panthers because many people move from other places down to here, so they’re naturally keeping to their own teams and putting the Panthers to the side.”