Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper incurred a $300,000 fine from the NFL on Tuesday for what the league deemed as “unacceptable conduct” during the team’s 26-0 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Video footage captured Tepper throwing a drink toward Jaguars fans from his open-air suite at Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium.
In response to the fine, the NFL emphasized its expectation for all personnel to uphold conduct that respects fans and positively reflects on their team and the league. Tepper, acknowledging his passion for the team, expressed regret for his actions and admitted that he should have allowed NFL stadium security to address any issues that arose. He affirmed his respect for the NFL’s code of conduct and accepted the league’s disciplinary measures.
As the second-richest owner in the league, boasting a net worth of $20.6 billion, the $300,000 fine constitutes less than 1% of 1% of Tepper’s wealth. This penalty draws parallels to the $250,000 fine imposed on former Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams in 2009 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans during a victory celebration.
The incident, captured by a Jaguars fan and posted on social media, occurred approximately three minutes before the end of the game following an interception by quarterback Bryce Young. The loss marked the end of Carolina’s 342-game streak (dating back to 2002) without being shut out and secured the Panthers (2-14) the NFL’s worst record, granting the Chicago Bears the top pick in the 2024 draft through a previous trade.
Carolina’s struggles since the draft, where they traded two first-round picks and top receiver DJ Moore to move up and select Young, have been evident. Young, once touted by Tepper to lead the Panthers to “Super Bowls,” has statistically performed poorly as one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks. The team, under Tepper’s ownership since 2018, has faced six consecutive losing seasons, with a record of 31-67. Tepper has made mid-season coaching changes three times since 2019, firing head coaches like Frank Reich and Matt Rhule due to poor starts in the respective seasons.
