Rich Eisen: What’s Missing from Panthers Owner’s Statement after Throwing a Drink at a Jaguars Fan

Rich Eisen reacts to the NFL fining Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper $300,000 for throwing a drink at a Jacksonville Jaguars fan during their Week 17 game.
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[@jpkalman]

If it were a fan who did this, they'd get a lifetime ban from the stadium.

[@jzamo1990]

More like jail and battery charges

[@CatWith-AHat]

​@@jzamo1990Probably a book and release but you'll get to borrow some pretty sliver bracelets for awhile.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

Rich guys are exempt from getting banned. They own the property.

[@apolloforabetterfuture4814]

Two separate systems, one for the rich one for the poor

[@TripleDaddy]

What's missing from the statement is "I suck at football and I'm selling the team."

[@DavidS-pw5gd]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@thomaskressig3829]

As a panthers fan, this is rock bottom

[@BCFC954]

Not owning the pick is a dagger too. Watching DJ Moore have a career year. Man I feel for you guys cause it’s been all bad since Cam left

[@dotherightthing9955]

Been a fan since the inception of the team. Moved from CA to SC a year ago and was so excited to see some games. Now I don't want to give this man any of the money in my pocket. :(

[@NanuqoftheNorth]

Haha, seems I've been saying this every week since David Tepper bought the team in 2018. Tepper always finds a way to drag the team down even further. Just wait.

[@im2insaine]

it's not rock bottom - it's a drop in the bucket ... $300,000 to a guy worth $20 billion is nothing ... not even a slap on the wrist ... he doesn't even apologize or take responsibility for his bad behavior ...

[@Alanboy395]

I have a Keep Pounding NC plate on my car. I’m deceased rectum seriously considering replacing it with a standard issue NC plate. I love my Panthers but this franchise has been a total embarrassing pile of mess this year and it does not look up as long as Tepper owns it.

[@briansg80]

"I'm so passionate for my team, I throw drinks at the commoner."

[@catherinewilliams9680]

Somewhere this fan is sitting with a personal injury attorney, deciding how many zeroes are going to be in the settlement they want.

[@eddieclarkgso]

Bravo Rich! We long-suffering Panthers fans are glad the rest of the sports loving world is finally speaking up about our narcissistic and very dysfunctional ownership. It's astonishing and heartbreaking the depths we've fallen to.

[@ChristinaJackson704]

well said. we need to be rescued ASAP!!!!!!!

[@travistaylor4342]

I miss the big cat

[@blogintonblakley2708]

"Part of my job is to speak truth to power." That made me laugh.

[@timfleming3083]

Exactly. This guy ain't going to rock the boat in any significant way.

[@samk4801]

Me too. My first thought was: "Yeah...what's the other part...throwing shade for these thieves?"

[@SaskAngler24]

lol, yeah that was pretty goofy but also not surprising. Rich is from the old school of journalism where they truly believe that talking about sports is really, really, important.

[@blogintonblakley2708]

@@SaskAngler24 Bread and circuses... keep the masses tranquilized and distracted. His job is important. He's just not super open about what his job actually is.

[@blogintonblakley2708]

@@samk4801 Exactly, the real offense from the "NFL's" POV is that Tepper hurt other owners financial prospects. The owners could give a crap about the sweaty masses.

[@jmorris023]

It would have been a better deal if the league gave the fan $300K.

[@Mustango1]

goes into Goodell's pocket so he can take his 8.5 month vacation every year lmao

[@kemadu3330]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Give that fine to the fan...he could put that money to good use. What a joke Tepper is.

[@Roshand-pl9tn]

Tepper has a short fuse. The panthers front office, coach players and fans have felt his anger. Now other fans have to feel his anger.

[@HondoHoss77]

I wonder if Tepper had to pay more than $300,000 to get his name redacted from the Epstien flight logs

[@ryta1203]

He has the classic rich guy syndrome: Thinks he's always the smartest guy in the room.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

I can't wait until the Panthers fans feel his anger. We're the only ones left...

[@comeonman9138]

As a Jags fan who lives 30 minutes from DUVAL, please please NFL schedule the panthers in Jax again next year. We’ll give him a nice southern welcome for 3 1/2 hours.

[@JO9OH4Tech]

Conversely there is something that makes a person in a suite feel real tough from up high…

[@loverofgolf]

No attorney was ever going to let him say I am sorry.

[@d-rot]

Who needs an attorney to say "I'm sorry?" The fan isn't hurt here, it'll be a nuisance lawsuit at most, cost the owner a peso relatively to pay him off if there is. He's not getting millions for it. And if I were the fan, if the dude just made a genuine apology, I'd drop the matter there. Not every body is a nut who will sue for anything and everything.

[@markothesharko]

I'd like to see the fan get a couple million.

[@ECUCHRIS904]

​@@taylorfurr6530It actually goes to charity.

[@davidlrogers]

​@@taylorfurr6530 you can dismiss it all you want but it's literally accounted for in their tax filings, and the tax filings of the charities that receive the money. as far as how they receive credit, i don't really care how it's spun so long as that money is legitimately going to charity.

[@markothesharko]

@@taylorfurr6530 Good point!

[@Professor-of-Gaming]

It has been a yearly decline under Tepper to get to this rock bottom. I miss Jerry Richardson

[@Dr._Wan___PharmD]

That Jaguars fan should hire a lawyer to sue every ounce of passion out of Tepper!

[@Gotzit]

Sue him for what? A new sweatshirt?

[@ECUCHRIS904]

​@@GotzitAssault

[@Joel-zy2zw]

Really. That opens up people filing lawsuits against Yankee fans who do the same thing to opposing fans.

[@TheForbiddenOne55]

​@@Joel-zy2zwas it should. And if it did, people would have to learn how to control themselves if l they don't want to catch an assault charge 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Gotzit]

@@ECUCHRIS904 are u 12?

[@joshbenge]

As a Panthers fan it sure does appear that David Tepper will not rest until he has sufficiently buried this franchise to the point that he can relocate to a new city. He was quick to let all Carolinians know that he alone is responsible for bringing music and live entertainment to our hayseed, country bumpkin area. Obviously he has contempt for paying customers based on his drink throwing incident. As the league continues to press for expansion to England, Germany, Mexico, etc. Tepper will do his best to grab one of those spots with this team.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

Tepper has shown his contempt for Southerners from the first moment. After forcing the best players to leave, he told us that "So-and-so has decided to part ways with the team." No, you reduced their pay and they told you to f-off. He obviously thinks we're stupid enough to buy whatever bs story he decides to feed us. I guess we would listen to anyone as unbelievable as Greg Olsen or Luke Kuechly. We would totally listen in awe to the carpet bagging Damn Yankee that bought and destroyed the team. I want to see a total boycott of BoA Stadium.

[@CruisinForABrewsin]

David Tepper is worth $20.6 billion. Fining him $300,000 is essentially the equivalent of making him buy you lunch.

[@televisionsupervision]

At McDonald’s

[@MikeFlu73]

It's not even close to lunch money. It's 0.0017% of his net worth. If your net worth was $100 it would be less than a quarter of a penny. A fucking joke, just not a funny one.

[@fip82]

300k is only about 0.002% of his net worth. It's less than nothing

[@MikeFlu73]

@@fip82 If Rich were truly speaking truth to power, as he put it, he would criticize his boss for this meaningless "fine."

[@yammt3148]

Dan Snyder does not leave the NFL... He simply wears a new face.

[@maridambrosio523]

You are so right, Rich. Hope he sells the team

[@troyhung4307]

He's not even good at lying. "I am passionate about the team," no he's not

[@its570Key]

Agreed 100% if he was passionate he wouldn’t have traded CMC and DJ away knowing they were our core pieces on offense.

[@SpiteOSRS]

Tepper is what happens when Billionaires are allowed to go unchecked in this country.

[@mallorycarll6280]

Exactly. There's no reflection or remorse in this statement. Tepper figured he was going to get away with his dirtbag actions and now he's upset that people are mad at him.

[@civilwarwasaninsidejob7405]

They have all the politicians om their payroll. They will never get checked.

[@JM-db8ez]

All this judgment--do you have any clue what the Jaguars fan did to provoke the reaction? No? Just offering your eminent judgment without all the facts/details? How epically modern of you. /smh

[@d-rot]

allowed to exist as billionaires. Tax them back to millionaires.

[@TheMattTrakker]

People throw drinks on other people all the time, wtf are you talking about? It has nothing to do with a person's net worth, it's their inability to control themselves.

[@sarahgoldfarb913]

Nobody speaks truth to power like Rich Eisen 😂💜

[@ericromero6121]

Your boyfriend jimmy Kimmel

[@mjamitche5245]

He had to throw in that he plays golf with the NFL commissioner. It doesn't matter whether he golfs with him or not, but it was bad timing to mention it after saying he speaks truth to power. That just goes to show how out of touch Rich is.

[@jenniferdickson1870]

Watch the video...he didn't just hit 1 fan with his drink. He also hit people that were just watching the game below his seat.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

I hope they all press charges, but I don't know if they realize they can. Maybe they're afraid they'll be considered a**holes, but they would be heroes in my book.

[@AGoodVibe]

I’d go one step further and call for his dismissal. If his conduct truly is unacceptable, he doesn’t deserve to be in that position anymore.

[@HumilityisaVirtue]

BUT, he's not sorry. That's why it's not in the statement.

[@Adkb123]

There should be a psychological evaluation for potential owners. How are you gonna get rid of Snyder just to replace him with this clown?

[@matthewcarson5640]

Wrong team

[@ericweinraub8825]

If a player did that they'd have been cut from the team. Tepper should have fined a 7 figure amount.

[@JoezefMiller]

Let’s not act like 300k is a little money.

[@astereotype965]

​@@JoezefMillerit is for a billionaire lol

[@idawg7332]

@@JoezefMiller 300k for a guy like tepper is like 3 dollars

[@jdavenport1805]

There was just a player that tried to fight a fan and nothing happened so quit crying.

[@DCIphanatic]

@@JoezefMiller whatever your current net worth is (I don't care what it is, do this privately) multiply by 0.0015% and you'll see what the fine is if it were to be incurred to you personally. For a majority of people it's less than 15 dollars and for many people less than a dollar. You spend more on door dash than he was fined for assaulting a fan

[@jwd1112]

I’ve been a Panthers fan since 1995… if you don’t think things can get any worse, give it about 10 minutes… that’s the way it’s been here since 2018

[@elizabethdavis4342]

Yep. It's all been downhill since Tepper bought the team. Did he make a bet that he could become the worst owner ever?

[@MountainSnowInc]

If you look around, you’ll start to see an entire nation of people that have about had it with these billionaires.

[@NanuqoftheNorth]

David Tepper "Tantrum" is out of control and the NFL chose not to address the issue in any meaningful way.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

New nickname: David Tantrum. I like it! Unfortunately, he's the guy who would legally change his name and wear that like a badge.

[@RedMage117]

To be fair...saying you regret something almost means the same thing. I'd rather hear this than a generic 'Im sorry' that someone probably doesn't mean. What he is basically saying is "I wish I didnt throw the drink but also eff that guy I threw it on". 😂

[@mikesvwcorrado]

TJ saying his rent going up made me think... He can't move, not with that giant ping pong table. He's there for life.

[@deettekearns9092]

Rich was raised correctly. Love ya, buddy.

[@miniharez]

in his statement, I did hear three words, “ I am rich”.

[@channimal3129]

From a Panthers fan, Since Tep bought the team, everything’s been downhill. If rumors are true about him being too involved, maybe he should reconsider his methods. Obviously things aren’t working. We’re at an all time low for a franchise.

[@johnmcdade6318]

Can anyone say "Dumpster Fire"...Tepper is the new Dan Snyder. The best is to go back to see one of the behind-the-scenes documentaries (I think it's Hard Knocks) about the Panthers when he first buys the team. Close to the end of the series he is in a car talking about how teams are a reflection of their owner in a parity-based league and the good teams have good owners and so on - his observations were spot on - the same top third teams are always in the playoffs, middle third are on the edge, and the bottom third are always drafting high. Oddly, he hasn't followed his own his own observations. And it's not just about how he has handled his GM and coaches, or throws drinks on fans; let's not forget, when he bought the team, he promised to improve on the Panthers facilities which appeared to be a joke in the documentary, and he went back on that promise after promising like a $1 billion facility. This owner is a strange dude...

[@basnm8659]

The biggest thing thats missing from Tepper's statement is him announcing that hes giving the team away. Not even selling, just giving it away.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

The Roaring Riot is trying to raise funds to buy the team from him. It would be nice if we owned our team like Cleveland does.

[@richrocketlll]

What he should say is that he is sorry for being a sorry person. That would be more accurate. It would not be an apology but it would be more truthful.

[@markmiller5606]

From a 'legal' perspective, 'I am sorry.' could be an admission of guilt. I have no skin in this game, except I think Tepper is a clown. But no way he should admit guilt from a legal perspective.

[@its570Key]

Who cares if it’s an admission of guilt. He’s on live recording throwing the drink on the jaguar fan lmao a lawsuit was coming either way

[@rve420]

Been all downhill since Tepper got rid of Ron Rivera and Cam Newton.

[@its570Key]

Don’t forget Hurney

[@Ckapter]

Well said.

[@DrOranj]

The reason "I am sorry" is not there is because of the eventual lawsuit. Everything in that is legalese to sound like you're sorry but to not accept blame either.

[@DiscipleofHim]

The fan should sue him for battery because it actually falls under that. Total loss of respect for that man and now that team is suffering worse. The little man syndrome as an adult in full view. Sad. No amount of money will buy him from the shame and laughter .

[@elizabethdavis4342]

Someone needs to tell Tepper that money can't buy character or a good reputation. Clearly, he's completely unaware, in spite of having neither.

[@DiagonalByte]

I have to admit, I *definitely* did not have this one on my 2023-24 season bingo card.

[@timdere]

The NFL should have Tepper pay for all the player fines this year.

[@legiox3719]

At least we have the Carolina Hurricanes? Man being a Panther fan just sucks right now. So depressing knowing the next couple of decades is going to be mediocre football and not meeting expectations.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

I've been a loyal Panthers fan from Day 1, when we were 1-15, 2-14, and even now. I realize that the Panthers, who they are, and how they represent, are completely separate from the a**hole owner that THEY want to get rid of. I'll stand by my team, but I won't do it inside Bank of America Stadium and I won't buy any new Panthers gear until that douche bag owner sells my team. He already left Charlotte, adding insult to injury by taking all the money he's making in Carolina and giving the taxes to New Jersey. It's probably for the best that he left Charlotte; I can imagine the death threats. I just wish someone would buy his old house in Charlotte, raze it and rebuild something bigger...

[@Tinman420]

Rich always speakin the truth. 300,000 is nothing to someone worth 26 billion… and he didn’t even say; I. Am. Sorry. Class act 👎🏻

[@anagram8]

Before this incident only the Panther fans hated him team, now all the fans, media and other teams will hate him and continue to pile on the team 😂

[@JskinnyG]

Tepper is the new Dan Snyder. Sorry to Panthers fans who have inherited the Snyder curse...

[@ECUCHRIS904]

I know right.

[@elizabethdavis4342]

Tepper makes Snyder look good. Go ECU! Oh, wait...

[@p7superfly]

Rich Eisen makes it sound like that person wouldn’t say the same thing if there weren’t a wall between them. Tippet would get destroyed by 90% of Jacksonville fans. That’s Florida Man territory, bro.

[@beckmanchilds756]

The best thing for the Panthers last year was getting who I thought was a talented qb in Bryce. I love Bryce. He has a lot of potential. Unfortunately the Worst possible place Bryce could have gone to was this Panthers organization who has messed up drafts and star players for a while now. The only good thing for me is that my boy Caleb won’t end up as a panther since they traded their first round pick and it’s owned by the Bears

[@oldbk4281]

LOL the preamble was a lot longer than the amble. Not a super strong take to say he should have said he was sorry. A strong statement would be to say that he should be barred from Jax stadium for life and suspended pending any potential charges filed by the fan or fans he assaulted. In other words, treat him like any fan or player who did the same thing.

[@CompGeekDE]

My God, Tepper! The phrase "I am sorry" should have been instilled in you since before Pre-school...

[@stevenl9151]

Love ya Rich

[@dancaulfield1008]

The only thing he is sorry for is that a camera caught this

[@MrFurley2u]

Wtf 300k, should've been more like 3 mill!

[@michaeltalley51]

Narrator: "But, he wasn't sorry."

[@seanmcnally4818]

I'm a Panthers fan here. 😭😭😭😭😭 I hate the owner, fans hate him. A petition has started to have him removed. The fans didn't vote for him. He's the guy who would go to the strip club, and break the #1 rule, HANDS OFF!!! Like his tenure as ownership. Regular people like us, spend our hard earned money to give to the girl dancers, and show us a good time. Not to mention, we'd probably get kicked out for wearing sweatpants or basketball shorts!!!

[@TheOsfania]

I completely agree.

[@chickengenius4202]

The fan should get the $300k

[@edwardsjohnpaul]

As reported elsewhere, the fine represents much less than 1% of 1% of Tepper's worth. To be meaningful, this would need to be tens of millions. He should've been banned from Panthers games until 2025.

[@SaskAngler24]

I want to agree with Rich, but his willingness to equivocate- as if ANY words could justify Tepper's actions is something I just can't agree with. If you can't handle people saying mean things about you, you don't belong in any forward facing role in pro sports- ownership, management, coaching, playing, etc. The big cheques and the fame and all that comes with it is a pretty good deal just to have to listen to people say mean things about your abilities for 4 hours once a week...

[@bartphlegar8212]

Good luck in your future endeavors, Rich!... 😂

[@RandalHodges]

That's just it ! He wasn't sorry !

[@kobegoodall3444]

If the fan disrespected him i don’t think he needs to be sorry, but he should regret what he did cuz it’s inappropriate.

[@karlmckinnell2635]

Throwing a drink on someone who is separated by a wall…..

[@kbbrown8154]

Well, he's not sorry. I'd rather have couched honesty than a balming, soothing lie intended to placate. I guess I'm alone in that.

[@ECUCHRIS904]

Who cares what he said? Words are words. Throwing a drink is assault.

[@gkd3221]

Like 98% of all billionaires, he made his money through hard work (maybe) and more importantly by threat and intimidation. He has probably never been told his behavior is unacceptable or held accountable for his actions since he was a kid.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

The best apology is changed behavior.

[@DM-qd7gw]

Saying sorry doesn't mean anything anymore...just a meaningless 3 words

[@charlie-obrien]

Imagine if the fan had thrown a drink on the BS Billionaire because of His "passion" ? Hey David Schlepper, if you are going to attend a game at an opponent's field then you need to behave like you are a guest!

[@skyefox]

Tepper is in the Snyder mindset where criticism becomes a personal attack that allows you to act however you want because "I was the victim".

[@chavruta2000]

i am sorry, Rich.

[@marcrose6305]

Fans showered with drinks are passionate too

[@shanecadden5303]

Where does the 300k go exactly?

[@Roland5045]

I have been a fan since year one. 1-15 was their worst year and they bounced back the following year. Best thing Panthers can do is get rid of David Tepper and have a owner that lets everyone do their job. He's a control freak !! Unless he's using this as a tax write off, just me saying, a no body.

[@rstevens1836]

He's the owner of one of the worst-performing and worst-run teams in football. His soccer team is doing better than his football team. He deserves to throw things at people and pay for it. He's got the funds to do so. Have fun in the draft Carolina.

[@ericromero6121]

This owner will cause some other kind of melee situation where he'll be forced to sell the team he's really a live wire very dangerous

[@creepycrespi8180]

Best pass a Panther threw all season.

[@RebelGorilla7384]

If you say "sorry," then you're admitting you did wrong.

[@CarolinaBlood704]

Because he did.

[@RebelGorilla7384]

I know that. But you must not understand how the law works. Saying sorry is an admission of guilt and won't help you in court, if you're trying to get out of trouble.@@CarolinaBlood704

[@BL-lm4kf]

TEPPER: I want to write an apology for my actions PR TEAM: OK TEPPER: But there better be absolutely no apology PR TEAM: OK

[@elizabethdavis4342]

No apology and the consequence is the equivalent of a parking ticket. I won't leave my Panthers because they don't control the owner, but I'm sick of Tepper and his entitled, arrogant, childish behavior. Failures like this are why I refuse to go into PR. I would never be able to create a blurb that could make this train wreck any better - and I wouldn't want to. Tepper needs to wallow in his mess.

[@terrytucker7090]

Tepper probably saw that fine amount and said “worth it”, since it doesn’t even cover the fuel bill for his private jet on away games.

[@James-ru3st]

Teppet just bought Rich's house and is tearing it down.

[@connorgeoghagan4675]

My question is, if that was a member of his staff, lets say its the GM. Would you fire him after that behavior? 100% you would. WIsh this guy would sell the team. I am so tired of this team and more specifically this owner. It hurts to be a fan.

[@davidshaffer4664]

He's a billionaire and 300k is not enough to get the message across. Maybe start at a million dollars

[@anitahendrick4384]

Gah can he please sell the team?!??!! I’m so tired of him. He’s an awful owner.

[@terry5749]

😔 😔 😔

[@AB-cd2ic]

Narcissistic behavior WILL NEVER say that they are sorry. Tepper 😢 Needs to sell the team and go back to Florida.

[@markmickman]

Successful people don't apologize

[@BCFC954]

The fine is too small. Unless the fans hit receive the $300K. IMO it should have been $1M+

[@its570Key]

Ban him for the next 8 games next year should have been included in his punishment. 300k is chump change to him

[@houseofchinn6112]

Privilege exposed

[@SophisticatedBob]

Anyone thinking they're going to get a sincere apology from David Tepper hasn't been paying attention. Because he isn't.

[@mikewallace9292]

The nfl replaced dan snyder with david tepper

[@George-kz5hb]

Haven’t watched it yet. It’s missing an apology. Edit:Giddyup

[@ryta1203]

Tepper was a huge mistake by the NFL. He is the new Dan Snyder.

[@TheMattTrakker]

So you think it's ok to throw a drink on someone for words they say, as long as those words are bad enough?

[@davem8360]

disagree. "i am sorry" usually means i am sorry i got caught. so...

[@ray1956]

Outrageous behavior 😡