Speculation : Could Tepper have been waiting for for Pittsburgh's season to end?

[trueblade]

This is just wild speculation on my part. No one is reporting it or even saying it's a rumor. I have no "sources". I'm just spitballing.

Speculation: Tepper hasn't spoken publicly because he has been waiting for Pittsburgh's season to end. He has an agreement with Kevin Colbert to come in and asses the entire football operations of Carolina after he retires from Pittsburgh. But Colbert did not want to leave/retire until Pittsburgh's season was over. That is why Tepper has made no public comments. He's waiting.

I have to believe Colbert will see through Rhule's salesman talk and recommend the Panthers part ways with Rhule. Colbert might have just the guy to recommend as a replacement in the person of Mike Tomlin.

Could Mike Tomlin be available? He has coached the Steelers for 14 seasons. That's quite a long run. With Big Ben's retirement, he's tasked with trying to find a new QB while facing two very good and young QBs in his division (Burrow and Lamar). Tomlin might see this as an opportune time to step away and give the Steelers a completely fresh start (GM, coach, and QB). Colbert could provide Tomlin a nice landing spot in the NFC with Carolina.

People have been connecting the dots between Colbert, Tomlin and the Panthers since Tepper purchased the team.

There is the small matter of Tepper supposedly begin part of minority owners who wanted Tomlin fired. Tepper could either deny that or state he's learned his position at that time was in error.

Again, this is pure speculation and none of it is likely to come to pass but it would explain Tepper's silence since the end of the season.

[L-TownCat]

Going from Rhule to Tomlin would be such a culture shock to this franchise I’m not sure it could handle it.

[The Lobo]

Oh this would be fantastic, unfortunately I think Rhule is here next year. I will remain positive and hope this happens though. 

[YourLastThought]

I will take Tomlin any day of the week. Some people say that he rode the coat tails of a team that Bill Cowherd created but he has had his team playing for the playoffs almost every season. He seems like a caring and likeable coach as well. It was also funny how he tried to trip the guy on the other team years ago too! I like him!

[The Lobo]

Wait, wasn’t Tepper one of the group of owners who wanted to fire Tomlin? 

[rayzor]

18 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

Wait, wasn’t Tepper one of the group of owners who wanted to fire Tomlin? 

Yes. And there's the problem with this line of speculation. 

[SizzleBuzz]

11 minutes ago, rayzor said:

30 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

Wait, wasn’t Tepper one of the group of owners who wanted to fire Tomlin? 

Yes.

Is there any proof of this?

Edited January 17, 2022 by SizzleBuzz

[WOW!!]

6 minutes ago, SizzleBuzz said:

Is there any proof of this?

Yes it's a news report from 2018 or 2019 naming all the minor owner who wanted Tomlin fired.. Tepper was on that list..

[TheSpecialJuan]

Stop doing to yourselves, Rhule is staying, deal with it 

[WOW!!]

https://www.pennlive.com/steelers/2018/01/steelers_owners_tomlin_fire.html

[SizzleBuzz]

52 minutes ago, WOW!! said:

https://www.pennlive.com/steelers/2018/01/steelers_owners_tomlin_fire.html

“PITTSBURGH -- Some Steelers "limited partners" want Art Rooney II to fire head coach Mike Tomlin, according to Pro Football Talk.

Pro Football Talk, citing a source with direct knowledge of the situation, reported that the minority owners planning to lobby Rooney to fire Tomlin come from a group that includes Rob Citrone, Paul Evanson, Larry Paul, Stephen Paul, Bruce Rauner, Paul Sams, John Stallworth, Benjamin Statler, Scott Swank, David Tepper, Thomas Tull, Peter Varischetti, and Mike Wilkins.”

======================

Read that closely…

Edited January 17, 2022 by SizzleBuzz

[AxelPanther]

 

[Khyber53]

The Colbert part was good, I'd love to see that kind of consultant come in and take a look at things.

The Tomlin part doesn't work, though. Tomlin doesn't want to leave Pittsburgh and no one in that organization is going to seriously want him to walk. 

 

[KSpan]

If Tepper needed Colbert to tell him Rhule is currently a hack at the NFL level, in the infinite wisdom of Brandon 'Donald' LaFell, "ooh wee mayne."

I have no idea how Tepper watches other NFL teams, particularly like what we've seen this weekend, and feels any kind of good about Matt Rhule.