“I’ve never felt more disconnected with the Carolina #Panthers as I do right now.”
This is what @TheKurb tweeted Wednesday morning at 8:59 am. The tweet was poignant. It was liked over 500 times, retweeted 65 times, had 23 quote tweets and over 30 replies.
“The crazy part is I’m not sure what will bring my interest back. I mean I was a rabid fan, absolutely devoted, but at this point winning a SB wouldn’t even feel right, something is just off and I don’t know what would fix it, so many strange moves,” @rock_lobster_ replied.
“This. The panthers don’t even get me upset anymore, I just feel apathetic towards them. Cam coming back peaked my interest for a little, but I’ve been checked out since the Dolphins game if I’m being honest,” said @ValleyJoe24.
“There aren’t any cool people on the team/coaching staff and we can’t even use the “we’re building for the future” excuse when we lose. They’re a boring football team,” @young_thuggha added.
The Panthers are at a crucial time for the franchise. Matt Rhule is heading into his third season as head coach. David Tepper is entering his 4th season as owner. Carolina hasn’t had a winning season since 2017. Questions loom about key positions and fans are growing impatient with “the process.”
Statistically there have been lower points for Panthers’ fans – see 2001’s 1-15 season and 2010’s 2-14 season – but even during the losing seasons @TheKurb told me there was something to root for. It’s different for him now.
“Panthers were at least always average and they had plenty of people you could pull for. Jake, Smitty, Morgan, Beason, TD, Stew, Minter, Gamble and Gross at least gave you a little hope. When that era ended, we rolled right into the Cam/Ron Rivera era. Cam led a charge of emotion and hype that we never had before. It was our highest moment as a franchise. Every Sunday gave you some level of excitement. Despite the often baffling personnel decisions of both eras, at least we had some hope. Right?”
“Whether it was “Oh Smitty comes back next year” or “It’s year four for Cam and Luke,” we had hope for a brighter future. What exactly does a Panthers fan have to be excited about coming into next season? What is the plan?”
This is where fans are lost. When David Tepper first bought the franchise he was having beers with fans at tailgates, and while his philanthropic impact on the Carolinas has been substantial, the fanbase has yet to hear his thoughts and plans since the end of the season. There’s little to no faith in the direction of the team. Matt Rhule has a process that was successful at the college level, but so far hasn’t translated in the pros. Patience is warranted, but folk are growing tired of hearing about a plan they don’t understand, which is filled with questionable personnel moves.
When a team is going through growing pains, fans have to find hope in players. The Panthers don’t have long-term, franchise-stabilizing guys who people can look to and say “at least we have a piece we can build around.” The guys with the most tenure/influence on the team are either free agents, have one year remaining on their contract, or can’t stay on the field due to injuries. After a number of trades, the Panthers also have little draft capital – currently holding one first round draft pick, one 4th round, two 5th rounders, one 6th round and one 7th round selection.
So, at this point what do fans have to hang their hats on? What is there to be hopeful for in 2022? Are the Panthers truly in danger of losing their fanbase?
The good news is that things often aren’t as bad as they seem. The Panthers had the 2nd ranked defense in 2021, Christian McCaffrey (when healthy) is still one of the best players in the league, and who’s to say Scott Fitterer won’t work some kind of magic during the draft and free agency? While apathy has set in for now, we all know it only takes one signing, one “I’m Baaaaccckkk” to bring energy once again to the Carolinas. The hope is that the Panthers can do it before it’s too late.
