Carolina Panthers plan march on Bank of America Stadium amid 1-8 start
A Panthers podcast is trying to whip up Carolina fans to march in protest against what the team is doing this season.
Call it a march against losing, badly.
The protest is sponsored by the Panthers Nation Podcast. And it announced plans for a Sunday march early on Friday. It came hours after Carolina suffered its eighth loss of the season, going down 16-13 to the two-win Chicago Bears.
To add insult to injury, the Bears won twice. They own Carolina’s 2024 Panthers first round draft pick via the deal to select Bryce Young No. 1 back in April.
The tweet said: “Calling Panther Nation! Join us for the OFFICIAL ‘March On Mint’ to make our voices heard. We love our team but it’s time to demand better performance on the field. Let’s show our passion (peacefully) and push for change!”
Bank of America Stadium is on Mint Street in Charlotte.
It’s probably safe to assume that Panthers headquarters likely isn’t all happiness and light on Friday. The fans are upset. So are the players after what unfolded at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Adam Thielen, Carolina’s most experienced receiver, called the offensive showing (or lack there of) “embarrassing.”
Veteran receiver went off on Panthers offensive effort
Thielen used the term “embarrassing.”
“We’re just not hitting on all cylinders right now,” Thielen said of the Panthers offense. “We’re not hitting on any cylinders. It’s an embarrassing effort. I think everyone’s just embarrassed, you know, put up what, six points on offense. Like, we didn’t do anything. That’s embarrassing when your defense is playing the way they’re playing, especially the way they’re playing. It’s embarrassing. And like we talked about, we’re putting in good practices. We’re doing the right things; building the momentum that way, but it’s just not translating. That’s tough.”
Young, who has started every Panthers game but one, reportedly was visibly upset in the locker room. While his teammates filed out to the team buses, Young sat on a bench in front of his locker. The passing game coordinator sat next to him. Andy Dalton, the veteran quarterback who is Young’s backup, also came over to talk to the rookie.
Thielen said Young, “addressed us and kind of just shared his emotion. And it was received extremely well from a leader, a guy who puts everything he got in the preparation of the game. And we’re all trying to figure out how to do that. Just kind of holding accountable, holding everybody accountable.
“I think it’s his passion for the game. You know, he’s a winner. He’s a leader. And he expects a lot out of himself. When you expect a lot of yourself, you just kind of hold everybody accountable, including himself, which the great leaders do. And everyone’s kind of got to look themselves in the mirror and say, you know, how can I get better? What can I do to get better and figure it out fast?”
So maybe the players will join the fans. They’re at least as frustrated.