By Scott Fowler
Charlotte Observer
In the summertime of 2022, the Carolina Panthers had a quarterback battle in coaching camp between two gamers who would change into top-10 NFL QBs in 2024.
Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, who will lead completely different groups into the NFL playoffs this weekend, competed all summer season in Spartanburg, S.C.
This was on a staff that had a humiliation of riches by Carolina requirements within the ability positions. The 2 QBs may select to throw or hand the ball off to Professional Bowl operating again Christian McCaffrey, No. 1 huge receiver DJ Moore, backup operating again Chuba Hubbard, backup operating again D’Onta Foreman (who would achieve 914 yards that season) and mercurial speedster Robbie Anderson.
And but Darnold and Mayfield failed in Charlotte. Mayfield received the training-camp battle, however no one received the conflict.
By 2024, nonetheless, Darnold was main Minnesota to a 14-3 document and incomes a spot within the Professional Bowl. Mayfield was directing Tampa Bay to a different NFC South title and ending within the prime three within the NFL in landing passes (alongside Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson).
Mayfield’s Bucs, seeded No. 3, host Washington at 8 p.m. Sunday in a first-round NFL playoff recreation. The fifth-seeded Vikings play on the Los Angeles Rams at 8 p.m. Monday.
Some perspective: Though Bryce Younger improved considerably within the second half of the season as Carolina’s quarterback, his numbers and wins pale compared to what Darnold and Mayfield have performed.
In actual fact, in two full seasons with the Panthers, Younger has 26 TD passes and 6 wins as a starter. On this season alone, Darnold had 35 TDs and 14 wins. Mayfield had 41 and 10.
So why did this occur? How did Darnold and Mayfield not work out in Carolina below coach Matt Rhule and proprietor David Tepper after which work out so spectacularly elsewhere?
To seek out out, I spoke to quite a lot of present and former gamers and executives with the Panthers. Some had been granted anonymity to debate a fragile scenario.
A number of sources mentioned the issue was teaching — the shortage of offensive creativity particularly in comparison with what Darnold and Mayfield obtain now.
“The atmosphere on the soccer facet wasn’t arrange for achievement, irrespective of how gifted the gamers had been,” mentioned one Panthers supply with direct data of the staff’s inside workings in 2022.
The numbers will let you know that Rhule and then-offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo didn’t maximize the efficiency of two quarterbacks destined to make the Professional Bowl within the subsequent two years. Darnold went 8-9 in two partial years as Carolina’s starter. Mayfield was 1-5. Their TD/interception ratios weren’t far off what Younger’s has been in 2023 and ’24.
One other Panthers supply, a participant who was an important a part of the 2022 staff, mentioned the pinnacle coach-starting quarterback relationship is probably the most important relationship on any NFL staff, and that it was apparent it by no means actually gelled with Rhule and both QB.
There was a practice of thought contained in the locker room, too, that participant mentioned, that Mayfield particularly wasn’t used accurately — that he typically needed to throw from a stagnant pocket, as an alternative of using the form of motion and shifts that he has thrived upon in Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
When reached, Rhule declined to touch upon whether or not or not he and the Panthers’ previous teaching employees ought to shoulder a lot of the blame. He did say he at all times thought Darnold and Mayfield might be wonderful NFL gamers.
“I’ve at all times believed within the expertise and potential of each Sam and Baker, and it’s thrilling to see them acting at such a excessive stage,” mentioned Rhule, now the pinnacle coach at Nebraska. “Whereas issues didn’t work out as we hoped throughout our time in Carolina, their success is a testomony to their resilience and willpower. The NFL is filled with tales like theirs, and it’s inspiring to see how they’ve discovered the proper alternatives to showcase their talents and thrive.”
How Darnold, Mayfield turned teammates
Darnold and Mayfield have been linked collectively because the 2018 draft, when the latter from Oklahoma was the primary general decide (to Cleveland) and the previous from Southern Cal went No. 3 (to the Jets).
Darnold arrived in Charlotte in April 2021, with the Panthers and normal supervisor Scott Fitterer buying and selling three draft picks (together with a second- and a fourth-rounder) to accumulate him from the Jets, the place he had typically floundered with a foul staff. Carolina was by then anxious to half methods with Teddy Bridgewater, who had an uneven 2020 season at quarterback in Rhule’s first 12 months. The Panthers traded Bridgewater every week after buying Darnold, then rapidly put in Darnold because the starter.
Below offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Rhule, Darnold began superbly. The Panthers went 3-0.
However then McCaffrey bought damage, Darnold began making errors and the wheels quickly got here off. Carolina completed by shedding 12 of 14 in 2021.
Darnold was damage a few of that point, however he went 1-7 within the last eight video games that he began. He ended up with 9 passing TDs and 13 interceptions, which nonetheless stands because the worst TD/INT ratio of his profession. An clearly compromised Cam Newton was even introduced in as a desperation measure towards the top, however Newton 2.0 was a extremely publicized flop. He went 0-5 as a starter and by no means performed in one other NFL recreation.
So by ’22, the Panthers had been prepared to present Darnold some critical competitors in coaching camp. After not drafting a quarterback within the first spherical, the Panthers bought Mayfield on a budget in early July, simply three weeks earlier than coaching camp started.
The Panthers had to surrender what turned out to solely be a fifth-round decide to get Mayfield, who like Darnold can be enjoying on an expiring contract. Fitterer, who acquired each QBs as Carolina’s normal supervisor and was fired in January ’24, wouldn’t remark for this story.
A word: Rhule had really advocated for buying and selling for Mayfield throughout and instantly after the ’22 draft, based on a number of folks with data of the Panthers’ draft room on the time. This concept was scotched in April, however revived two months later.
By then, Darnold had a six-month head begin on new offensive coordinator McAdoo’s system. (Brady had been fired through the ’21 season by Rhule — the 2 had some philosophical disagreements and Rhule publicly mentioned he wished to run the ball extra — however has since landed on his ft. Brady is now the offensive coordinator with Buffalo, one of many Tremendous Bowl favorites).
In the summertime of ’22, Mayfield appeared to catch up rapidly as he and Darnold pushed one another in apply and in addition frolicked some off the sphere.
“It’s not about making an attempt to stab each other within the again,” Mayfield mentioned throughout that coaching camp in Spartanburg. “It’s about elevating, as a result of the franchise and the staff go because the QB room goes.”
Rhule, Mayfield lasted 5 video games collectively
Rhule thought Mayfield regarded higher in camp than Darnold. So after going 10-23 in his first two seasons and badly needing to win to maintain his job, Rhule determined to begin a quarterback in Week 1 that had solely joined the staff two months earlier than.
The choice was enormous. As a result of whereas the Panthers had performed first rate protection throughout Rhule’s 38-game tenure, they by no means may rating sufficient factors. Rhule would end his profession 1-27 at Carolina when the opposite staff scored 17 or extra factors. The Panthers by no means bought the form of 44-38 shootout victory that Younger closed out with at Atlanta final weekend.
Mayfield, although, didn’t make the offense extra dynamic. Whereas the offensive system didn’t assist, it additionally wasn’t ultimate that he didn’t report in nice form. Mayfield in ’24 with Tampa Bay appears far faster when he scrambles out of the pocket than when he performed for Carolina.
Rhule had wished Mayfield and pounded the desk to get him within the draft and afterward. However hitching his wagon to Mayfield turned out to be one of many final vital strikes of the coach’s tenure.
The Panthers went 1-4 of their first 5 video games of ’22 and Mayfield struggled, with 4 interceptions and 4 TD passes. He by no means threw for 250-plus yards in a recreation, and his ft tended to get uneven when he was below strain.
After a 37-15 loss to San Francisco in entrance of a Financial institution of America “residence” crowd that was nearly fully 49ers pink by the top, Rhule was fired. The frequent pondering on the time was he was higher suited to be a university head coach, and certainly he has began to show the Nebraska program round.
Steve Wilks changed Rhule because the interim coach and barely performed Mayfield — who additionally was preventing an harm — after that. PJ Walker began 5 video games and Mayfield bought yet one more begin (he misplaced that one, too). Darnold would begin six video games late within the season, going 4-2 because the Panthers had a small late-season resurgence below Wilks, whose offense extra closely emphasised the run.
Wilks wasn’t retained, as Tepper moved on to rent Frank Reich (who would himself be fired solely 11 video games into the ’23 season). Darnold wasn’t retained, both.
Darnold would signal as a backup to San Francisco in ’23, the place he barely performed. In ’24, nonetheless, Darnold signed a one-year cope with the Vikings — his fourth staff in 5 years. He turned Minnesota’s starter following a preseason knee harm to first-round draft decide J.J. McCarthy that knocked the rookie out for the season.
Darnold has performed so properly he’s going to be probably the most sought-after veteran free agent within the ’25 offseason market, possible commanding an analogous wage to what Mayfield now makes (3 years, $100 million).
As for Mayfield’s last days with the Panthers, he fell up to now on the depth chart halfway by the ’22 season that he began taking reps with the scout staff. Generally he was the quarterback, however at one apply he was seen enjoying for the scout staff — taking reps as a defensive lineman along with his hand within the filth.
Not surprisingly on condition that fast fall from grace, Mayfield requested for his launch in December. It was granted. Mayfield was rapidly picked up by the quarterback-needy L.A. Rams, and solely two days later led them to a comeback win that made nationwide headlines. Within the offseason, he signed with Tampa Bay, the place he has since directed two consecutive playoff groups (the primary with offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who the Panthers scooped up as their head coach final 12 months).
It’s true that Mayfield and Darnold have benefited from throwing to future Professional Soccer Corridor of Famers — Mayfield has Mike Evans and Darnold has Justin Jefferson. However once more, in Carolina, each had the good thing about McCaffrey (when he wasn’t damage or, later, traded) and Moore. The cabinet was a lot barer for Younger in ’23 than it was for both Mayfield or Darnold throughout their time in Carolina.
What was David Tepper’s position?
These closest to the scenario have blended emotions. Clearly, Tepper was the one who employed Rhule. So Rhule would by no means have gone 11-27 in Carolina if Tepper hadn’t employed him within the first place.
Tepper, a hands-on businessman who’s a hedge fund billionaire, is the form of proprietor who desires to speak to his decision-makers to know their rationale and to typically problem it.
“Too many instances Tepper would mandate adjustments be made too rapidly,” mentioned one Panthers supply with data of the staff throughout Mayfield and Darnold’s tenure.
Countered one other Panthers supply with data of the Rhule period, pushing again on the thought Tepper was ordering on-field adjustments: “Individuals throw folks below the bus as an alternative of being accountable. That occurs so much on this league. The numbers don’t lie.”
Panthers tight finish Tommy Tremble was a rookie in ’21 and is one in all a handful of offensive gamers nonetheless on the staff 4 years later. Of why it went improper for Mayfield and Darnold, Tremble mentioned on Monday that ’21 and ’22 had been “a wild few years.”
“A number of ups and downs,” Tremble mentioned. “A number of teaching adjustments. And I believe that’s arduous to get previous, as a result of when stuff goes up and down, backwards and forwards, it’s arduous to get comfy. It’s arduous to get your rhythm down.
“And I’m so pleased with these dudes doing their factor. I’m excited for them, each nice folks and ballers getting their recognition. … I pray for his or her success. They’re good guys.”