CHARLOTTE — Panthers owner David Tepper visited with reporters during Wednesday's practice, and he struck an optimistic tone about his team building on last year's NFC South title and playoff appearances.
"I think the pieces are there, and we have everything we need," Tepper said.
Last year's playoff berth was the first since he's been here, and he's clearly hoping to build the Panthers into a consistent winner.
The Panthers have made steady progress since head coach Dave Canales, general manager Dan Morgan, and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis came here together in 2024, going from two wins to five to eight.
So when he was asked if he had a message for his fans, his emphasis was clear.
"I just tell them to Keep Pounding," Tepper said. "We're making progress. We're going to continue to make progress. I believe in a winning season this year.
"Listen, nothing's easy in this NFL, seriously, it's not. But I believe we have everything here to win this year, and I believe we'll have everything to win in the future too. And I do think we're on the right track, and I do think we have very good people here in Dan and Dave and Brandt. So I think we have a good head team, good management team over on that side of the building. I trust them. I don't feel the need to be around as much here because I trust him so much, and like I said, I'm optimistic.
Tepper continued: "Those are the expectations, and the expectations are based on last year, right? So if we improve on some of those things last year, for instance, we can't have all come-from-behind wins in the NFL, and that's one of the reasons. So we get fast starts this year, fast starts to the game, we're going to win."
He also said he still believes in quarterback Bryce Young very much, based on the trajectory he's been on.
"I mean, you saw it," Tepper said of Young's performance last year. "You know he can, and he has, not can, has performed at a high level against high-level competition. It seems to bring the best out of him.
"Bryce is the sort of guy that doesn't feel the pressure. He saw it against the Rams twice. When you have that kind of performance, you know it's there. Can he bring it every single game? I believe he can. You know it's there. So, like I said, I'm a believer, and hopefully it comes true."
And as he mentioned when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in town recently, the idea that this team is better equipped to be a playoff contender is central to his optimism.
"Last year's team, I kind of said that we're not a playoff team, but we could get in the playoffs," Tepper said. "I think we have all the, we're more of a playoff team this year than we were last year coming into it. But the preseason, when you have winning records in the preseason, it kind of plays into your depth. So I think Dan's done a good job, and the guys have done a good job building the depth on the team.
"And you know, I think the pieces are there, and we have everything we need."
The top 99 photographs of No. 9. Peruse through a collection of the subjectively-best photographs of our QB1, Bryce Young.
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #1
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #2
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #3
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #4
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #5
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #6
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #7
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #8
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #9
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #10
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #11
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #12
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #13
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #14
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #15
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #16
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #17
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #18
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #19
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #20
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #21
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #22
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #23
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #24
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #25
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #26
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #27
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #28
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #29
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #30
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #31
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #32
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #33
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #34
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #35
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #36
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #37
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #38
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #39
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #40
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #41
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #42
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #43
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #44
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #45
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #46
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #47
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #48
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #49
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #50
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #51
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #52
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #53
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #54
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #55
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #56
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #57
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #58
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #59
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #60
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #61
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #62
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #63
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #64
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #65
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #66
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #67
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #68
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #69
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #70
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #71
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #72
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #73
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #74
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #75
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #76
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #77
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #78
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #79
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #80
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #81
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #82
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #83
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #84
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #85
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #86
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #87
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #88
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #89
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #90
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #91
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #92
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #93
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #94
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #95
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #96
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #97
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #98
The 99 Best Photos of BY9 -- #99
