Panthers owner David Tepper is not exactly a fan favorite in the Carolinas, and his recent stunt isn’t helping his case.
On the night of the 2024 NFL Draft, a local Charlotte restaurant, “Dilworth Neighborhood Grille,” had some fun with a sign out front of the bar that read “Please let the coach & GM pick this year.”
The sign was targeted at Tepper, who has been rumored to overstep his boundaries as an owner when it comes to making roster decisions since he bought the team in 2018.
Tepper caught wind of the sign and decided to confront the restaurant owner just hours before the NFL Draft began. Here’s how it went down.
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David Tepper restaurant video
Dilworth Neighborhood Grille in Charlotte has a history of sending playful messages with their sign out front, according to local news station WBTV.
Apparently, Panthers owner Tepper didn’t care for their signage on 2024 NFL Draft night that took a shot at his role with the team.
Tepper paid a surprise visit to the restaurant, confronting the manager to ask who was responsible for the sign. The manager reportedly told Tepper the person wasn’t there, but “the employee did say Tepper was pleasant about it,” per WBTV.
You can watch the surveillance video of the exchange below, which ended in a handshake.
‘LET THE COACH AND GM PICK’ 🏈: Surveillance footage captured the moment @Panthers owner David Tepper walked into a Charlotte restaurant after a sign was put up prior to the NFL Draft.
Full story: https://t.co/tYPhlekttU pic.twitter.com/tc0eihPAkT
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) April 26, 2024
The Panthers have missed the playoffs every season since Tepper bought the team in 2018. Carolina has compiled a 31-68 record in that span and has gone through three head coaches in the last three seasons.
The Panthers didn’t originally have a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft because of their 2023 trade with the Bears to land franchise quarterback Bryce Young in Carolina.
The Panthers did, however, trade into the first round to make a selection.
MORE: Best players available | Winners and losers after Round 1
Carolina sent its second-round pick (No. 33 overall) and fifth-round pick (No. 141) to the Bills for the final pick in the first round (No. 32) and their sixth-round pick (No. 200).
The Panthers selected South Carolina WR Xavier Legette at No. 32, which received a “C” grade from SN draft expert Vinnie Iyer.
