Report: Panthers were worried Colts, Raiders would jump them in draft order
Long before he became owner of the Carolina Panthers, banker David Tepper was passed over for a partner position at Goldman Sachs under CEO Jon Corizone. Some time after, in 2010, Tepper purchased Corizone’s Hamptons summer home—from his ex-wife, no less—for $43.5 million.
But wait, here comes the good part . . .
Tepper would go on to have the property completely flattened. He then proceeded to build a mansion twice the size on the same exact spot, completing one of the most elaborate (and expensive) proverbial middle fingers in the history of mankind.
Well, Frank Reich just did something kinda similar.
The Panthers and their new head coach completed some massive construction of their own on Friday, striking a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears to acquire the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft. Not only was the move inspired by their need for a franchise quarterback, but it was also reportedly motivated by the Las Vegas Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts—Reich’s former employer.
The Panthers felt they were in a competitive situation. They worried that teams like the Colts and Raiders were trying to get the No. 1 overall pick, and didn't want to take chances. So… they got aggressive and closed the deal. @BallySports
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 11, 2023
Reich led Indianapolis for four and a half seasons, a run that started in 2018 and ended after Week 9 of the 2022 campaign. And despite the decent success they experienced over that time, having gone 40-33-1 with a pair of playoff appearances, Colts owner Jim Irsay dismissed his head coach on Nov. 7.
Now, with both men on the hunt for a new franchise quarterback, Reich has helped build a mansion of his own—overlooking the rest of the NFL and his old boss.
