Panthers Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

While the Carolina Panthers didn’t necessarily enter the 2024 season with lofty expectations, their 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday was nothing short of disappointing.

And it appears that Dave Canales has already discussed the matter with the franchise’s owner, with the first-year head coach revealing that he met with Panthers owner David Tepper after the game.

Yet despite Tepper’s reputation for meddling in his team’s affairs, Canales said that the polarizing Panthers owner remains supportive of himself and the team. It’s also worth noting that Carolina made it clear that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator would be reporting directly to Tepper when he was hired as the Panthers’ head coach earlier this year.

“It means a lot to me to make sure that I connect with him,” Tepper told reporters, according to Bleacher Report. “… To be able to talk about the state of our organization and just kind of following up on games. I look forward to that process. … Those are private conversations that I’ll keep to myself.”

Following Sunday’s loss, the Panthers now turn their attention toward their Week 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. In order to get on track, it will be paramount for Carolina to get more out of quarterback Bryce Young, with the 2023 No. 1 overall pick completing just 13 of his 30 pass attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions against the Saints on Sunday.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.