As the first round of the NFL Draft approached, the sign in front Dilworth Neighborhood Grille had a message directed toward the owner of its hometown Carolina Panthers.
“Please Let The Coach & GM Pick This Year,” it read.
The sign was in reference to owner David Tepper’s influence in the team selecting Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud with the first pick in the 2023 draft.
The message caught the attention of Tepper, who paid a visit to the restaurant before Round 1 Thursday night.
Tepper spoke with the restaurant’s manager and wanted to find out who was responsible for the sign. That person, owner Matt Wohlfarth, had already left for the day.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Wohlfarth, who has been a season-ticket holder since 1995, said he was notified by one of his employees about Tepper’s visit and that the interaction “sounded a bit more on the joking side.”
The Panthers ended up trading into the 1st round and selecting South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette.
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Wohlfarth went on to say that this wasn’t Tepper’s first visit. Following the 2023 season and the Panthers finishing 2-15, the sign’s message read, “Meddling owners never win. Run from Jerry Jones.”
“And he was sorta pissed off about that one,” Wohlfarth said. Why? “Well, he’s a meddling owner,” Wohlfarth said.
Tepper has been criticized for being too hands-on with the Panthers. Since purchasing the franchise from Jerry Richardson in 2018, the team has compiled a 31-68 record with more full-time head coaching hires (4) than playoff appearances (0).
In January, the NFL fined Tepper $300,000 after he threw a drink toward Jacksonville Jaguars fans from a luxury box during a 26-0 loss in Week 17.
