Panthers owner releases weak statement after getting punished by NFL for drink-throwing incident

The NFL has fined Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for an incident on Sunday that saw him throw a drink at a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, per ESPN's David Newton. Tepper was caught on video throwing a drink at a fan in Jacksonville following the Panthers' 26-0 loss, continuing what has been a horrendous season on (and now off) the field.

The Panthers are 2-15 entering their Week 18 game against Tampa Bay.

Given Tepper's net worth ($20.6 billion), the $300,000 fan is a shockingly small slap on the wrist. Especially when it is only $50,000 more than that what former Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams received for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans. This incident actually involved Tepper throwing something at fans. 

Tepper also released an extremely weak statement, finally breaking his silence 48 hours after the incident had occurred. 

Tepper said, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer : 

"I am deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL stadium security handle any issues that arose. I respect the NFL’s code of conduct and accept the League’s discipline for my behavior."

Nowhere in that statement was an apology or anything even close to accountability.

Whatever the Jaguars fans said to Tepper, he can't allow himself to react in such a way. But the NFL hitting him with a fine that is the equivalent to pennies for the fan who was hit by Tepper's drink also does nothing to hold him accountable. 

Tepper has owned the Panthers since the 2018 season, and it has been a rocky road for the franchise since then. Tepper has shown no patience in building his team, is notorious for involving himself in football decisions and has repeatedly made significant moves that have badly backfired, from head coaches to the decision to trade a bounty of players and draft picks for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select quarterback Bryce Young. 

That trade saw the Panthers give up wide receiver D.J. Moore, their 2023 first-round pick, multiple second-round picks and the Panthers' 2024 first-round pick that ended up being the No. 1 overall pick. Given Young's brutal rookie season, it is looking like a potential all-time blunder of a trade. 

It has been one misstep after another for Tepper. Each one becomes more and more embarrassing.