Panthers Owner Tepper: I'd Like Next HC to 'Say the Eulogy at My Funeral in 30 Years'

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper emphasized that he wants the next head coach he hires to be with the franchise for the long haul.

"I would like someone to be here 20, 30 years," he said Tuesday. "I'd like have someone say the eulogy at my funeral in 30 years. OK, maybe 40 years."

The comments come a day after Carolina fired head coach Frank Reich midway through his first year at the helm. Tepper said the brief length of Reich's tenure doesn't speak to a broader mindset:

It will take more than words for Tepper to convince people outside of the Panthers that he's willing to give Reich's successor the kind of time required to get the franchise on the right track.

During Tuesday's press conference, he simultaneously said he's known for displaying "extreme patience" while declining to provide enough time to answer every question.

Carolina is looking for its fourth permanent head coach since Tepper took control in July 2018. The team also jettisoned Steve Wilks, who replaced Matt Rhule on an interim basis last year, after he seemingly didn't have a genuine shot at getting the interim tag removed.

The trend has extended to Charlotte FC, the MLS club Tepper brought into the league ahead of the 2022 season.

Tepper's reputation before entering the world of sports ownership precedes him as well.

New York Magazine's Jessica Pressler profiled the billionaire hedge fund manager in 2010. She cited a business executive who said he's "impatient with us lesser mortals" and wrote how "by all accounts, Tepper's personal volatility is as up and down as his returns."

One of his neighbors also recounted how Tepper "could be heard screaming all the way down the block" when he coached softball for elementary school kids.

The Panthers won't be lacking for coaching candidates when they dive fully into their search, though that's partially down to factors out of their control.

There are only 32 head-coaching jobs in the NFL, and far fewer are available during a hiring window. Whoever takes over for Reich also knows that if nothing else they'll also collect a hefty payout should they get fired midway through their contract.

Still, it's fair to wonder whether the more attractive candidates on offer will seriously consider Carolina.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, for example, interviewed with the Panthers last offseason before deciding to stay in Detroit. If they were to make another run at Johnson, it's difficult to picture a different outcome.

Tepper was clearly trying to change the narrative Tuesday but may have succeeded little in doing so.