David Tepper on Monday decided to fire Matt Rhule amid the team's 1-4 start to the 2022 season.
The Panthers owner told reporters later Monday that "now was the time" to relieve Rhule of his head-coaching duties following a 37-15 blowout loss to the 49ers on Sunday.
"Might have been a little bit of lost intensity on the field yesterday, which was different from the first four games," Tepper said.
Earning a 11-27 record (.289) during his tenure, Rhule became the first head coach in Panthers history to serve fewer than three full seasons at the position. Rhule was hired by Tepper in 2020 and given a hefty seven-year contract that lured him from the college ranks.
Tepper expressed his frustration with the team not being able to "get over the hump" under Rhule. Monday's firing was the second such decision made by Tepper since buying the team in 2018. Longtime Panthers coach Ron Rivera was fired by Tepper midway through the 2019 season.
"I think that we have to figure out how to get a culture of winning here, which we haven't had in a long time in this place," Tepper said. "As I said at some point, this team has never had two winning seasons (in a row). So I don't really think it ever really had a culture of winning."
Steve Wilks will take over as the interim head coach going forward. The 53-year-old was hired ahead of this season as the defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach, and has experience as a head coach after one season with the Cardinals in 2018.
Tepper said Wilks will be considered for the vacant job depending on how the remainder of the season goes.
"I think we always have an expectation to win and trying to find a way to win," he said. "That's never changing. Steve is familiar with the team, you know I have confidence in him and we'll see."
Carolina's roster isn't one starved for talent, which contributes to Tepper's belief in the team being able to win now. But that won't stop any trade speculation surround a team that just fired its head coach and would hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft if the season ended today.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Monday that the Panthers haven't had trade talks with any teams -- including the Bills -- this season regarding Christian McCaffrey after reports surfaced involving the star running back. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 1.
While acknowledging possible trade speculation and what next year's draft could entail, Tepper stressed winning remained the top priority for the organization.
"No way that everyday you can't go in with a winning attitude," Tepper said. "There's no other way to be -- you have to try to win all the time. You have to try and win for the players, you have tor try to win for the fans.
"Yes, I understand what it is about draft picks and getting quarterbacks and stuff like that. And I understand the importance of quarterbacks in this league, but you have to try to win always."
A full-on rebuild didn't seem to be in Tepper's interest on Monday, but the Panthers owner made it clear that the franchise needs to actualize a winning culture. Who will get them there remains to be seen, but Tepper made it clear what kind of progress he wants to see from his team.
"It's winning," Tepper said. "Winning more this year than you did last year. Have the appearance of winning more than you did last year. Looking like you're going to win more than you did last year. By that definition, I don't think we're over the hump. We start off 1-4 this year, had five wins the past two seasons, had a different lack of success in other seasons, so we have to somehow change that culture."
