Who's the villain in the story?

[Mr. Scot]

I'm wondering who people feel shoulders the majority of the blame for the way Cam Newton's Panthers career is ending.

The viable candidates...

Ron Rivera - accused by many of misusing Newton and wasting his career

Marty Hurney - never built a winning roster around him, but was reported to have wanted to extend him

Dave Gettleman - built the rosters that supprted Newton's most successful seasons before Jerry Richardson let him go

Matt Rhule - gave plenty of lip service to wanting to coach Newton but ultimately was on board with moving on

Joe Brady - gave the Panthers a viable alternative in Teddy Bridgewater and effectively backed him.over Newton

Jerry Richardson - team owner over most of Newton's career; enabler of mediocrity for the entire franchise existence up to his departure

David Tepper - stifled efforts by Hurney and Rivera to offer Newton an extension; used the phrase "if healthy" ad infinitum

Cam Newton - hid injuries that ultimately helped derail his career, something that (let's be real) all athletes do, and it's not like nobody could see he was hampered

 

You've seen the choices. So in your mind, who's the real villain here?

Make your case.

[Jon Snow]

Everyone on the list had a hand in Newton's demise (including Newton himself) except for the new staff.  They inherited this mess.  

[Tbe]

Why does there have to be a villain?

Tepper and Rhule just didn’t want to tie the team to Cam’s inevitable physical decline.

[kungfoodude]

David Tepper. He appeared to be ready to move on from Cam Newton from day one. Hindsight will tell us whether he was a fool or a genius.

[Mister]

everyone we were supposed to win in 2015 and could have won it all in 2017 if we didn't lose to the saints 

[PantherBoy95]

There is no villian, it's football.  Sadly under-performance, lack of coaching, lack of supporting cast and Father Time will always be constants.

To answer you, I do wish we'd given Cam better/elite weapons through his career. That's something that will always linger when I think of his career.

I don't fault Tepper for moving on; if anything, I wish that the parting would have been more amicable, with up front communication.

[JawnyBlaze]

Everyone on the list except Cam and Brady (“giving them a viable alternative” isn’t something to blame him for). But mostly Rivera and Hurney. 

[jfra78]

LOL your bias for Gettleman shows here.

[Mage]

I don't see why anyone has to be a villain.  Cam's departure was a combination of a lot of things.  

I don't think anyone in the staff should be blamed right now.  Matt Rhule is fair to not want to rely on a QB on an 11 game losing streak and that has missed the majority of the last 2 seasons.  Same with Tepper and Brady.

If I had to choose the most responsible for the current situation, I guess Ron Rivera for continuing to stick with Mike Shula and refusing to pull Cam out in 2016 after he initially jacked up his shoulder.  Then in 2018 for not allowing his shoulder to rest, thus ruining our 6-2 or whatever start that we had.

But I don't think it falls on one person.  Gettleman neglected the LT position.  Rivera couldn't assemble a solid offensive staff or unit.  Newton shouldn't have held off on surgery multiple times.  Tepper shouldn't have waited until 2020 to reboot the team and instead have done it after 2018.  

And I don't even know why Richardson is included.

[Mr. Scot]

5 minutes ago, Tbe said:

Why does there have to be a villain?

Tepper and Rhule just didn’t want to tie the team to Cam’s inevitable physical decline.

There doesn't have to be. That's a valid take.

I'm asking this for people who believe there is one though.

[*FreeFua*]

Anyone who knows anything at all knows Rhule and Brady have NOTHING to do with this. 

 

[jfra78]

To answer your question its Rivera for sticking with Shula so long

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, jfra78 said:

LOL your bias for Gettleman shows here.

You really think you could make any sort of argument for Gettleman here?

I included both Gettleman and Hurney to be thorough, but I think the arguments against either one are pretty weak.

[MHS831]

Nice list, Scot.  It makes you consider the situation from every perspective.