Will Panthers GM be able to overcome owner David Tepper?
The Panthers found their general manager, but whether things improve in Carolina depends on how much influence owner David Tepper has over Dan Morgan.
On Monday, the organization announced Morgan, who was the assistant general manager under former GM Scott Fitterer and also played linebacker for the team from 2001-07, will be in charge of player personnel going forward.
ESPN's Adam Schefter shared Morgan's journey to the job, which also included stops in Seattle and Buffalo.
For the move to succeed, Morgan must be able to work without Tepper's interference. Reports suggested the Panthers owner was the driving force behind Carolina's decision to draft quarterback Bryce Young at No. 1 overall during the 2023 NFL Draft. Tepper refuted that claim in November, telling reporters, "I believe it was a unanimous decision," following former head coach Frank Reich's firing.
Since buying the team in 2018, the Panthers are 31-68 and haven't finished a season with a winning record, establishing Tepper as one of the league's worst owners.
In a 26-0 loss to the Jaguars in December, he tossed his drink onto a Jaguars fan and was fined $300,000 by the league.
If anyone in the Panthers organization can stand up to Tepper, it would seem to be Morgan. While the decision to promote from within after an exhaustive search frustrated a segment of the fanbase, ESPN's Panthers reporter David Newton shared that, as a player, Morgan "was aggressive and hard-hitting and smart... He'll bring the same approach to the front office."
Carolina needs someone who can stand up to Tepper and tell him to leave football decisions to football people. Whether Morgan is that person will ultimately determine if he'll be the one to lift the Panthers out of their rut.
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