Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has earned a reputation for his impulsive behavior, and another incident Thursday raised that issue once again.
The Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, a restaurant located about a mile from Bank of America Stadium, posted an outdoor sign ahead of the NFL Draft. It read, “Please let the coach & GM pick this year.” That was a direct reference to Tepper’s reported insistence the team draft quarterback Bryce Young No. 1 overall last year, a decision that many analysts believe was a mistake. Many Panthers fans have accused Tepper of meddling in the team’s personnel decisions before.
So Thursday night, Tepper walked into the restaurant to discuss the sign.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t there,” restaurant owner Matt Wohlfarth told Queen City News on Friday.
But Charlotte TV station WBTV shared video footage of Tepper’s visit and the video showed a strange encounter. Tepper entered the restaurant and began talking with a host and server. The video then shows him reaching out and removing the host’s hat, which bore a Philadelphia Eagles logo.
Wohlfarth described the exchange as “friendly” and “playful,” yet it was still odd to see an NFL team owner do something like that. It’s especially notable given Tepper’s recent history with fans. In early January, the NFL fined him $300,000 after he threw a drink on a Jacksonville Jaguars fan during a game.
The restaurant owner told Queen City News he thinks the team has had a good offseason, and he intended the sign as a show of support.
“If you want to win, you can’t do it alone,” Wohlfarth said. “It’s worse when we (the city and the fans) stop talking altogether.”
The NFL world, which has criticized Tepper for his behavior in the past, believe this incident just added another page to his “impulsive behavior” file.
[Air Meirov, WBTV Charlotte]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.