I don’t buy the notion that players don’t want to tank..

[UpstatePantherfan]

Time and time again I keep hearing people and fans say that tanking is only fan speak and players themselves don’t want to tank, are you sure though? I mean if we already had a franchise QB then I could definitely buy  that argument. 
 

But let’s look at facts, players at the end of the day want to win championships and make a fug ton of money. Do you really think our WRs can do either if they don’t have a legit QB throwing to them?! 
 

Or what about a defense who is sick and tired of getting sick and tired of ALWAYS being on the field due to constant 3 and out drives on nearly every first offensive series?!  
 

If we didn’t have trash at QB and had a QB that knew how to sustain drives longer than one minute, then our D wouldn’t be on the field all the damn time getting exhausted and worn out by the 2nd qtr.

Or how about RBs like Foremam who are asked to pound the rock heart every play, exhausting themselves and wearing down their bodies, hence shortening their careers because there isn’t a QB on the roster that can pass worth a poo.

Ill say this, the bottom line is I’m a WR or a RB or a defensive player and I think we finally have a shot at legit franchise QB for the future by taking plays off and helping us lose in order to get said franchise QB, I’m thinking long and hard.

[Wundrbread33]

I could see cornerstone players potentially thinking this way, but most guys can’t afford to put shitty tape out there, and NFL rosters are so competitive you have to keep grinding to stay in the league. 
 

So maybe not all, but by and large most players are trying to ball out every Sunday regardless of winning, because their career hangs in the balance. 

[Move the Panthers to Raleigh]

That performance yesterday sure looked like a tank. 

[TheCasillas]

Tanking comes from play calling, game planning, coaching, and substitutions. It doesn’t come from the players.

Edited November 7, 2022 by TheCasillas

[Snake]

Yesterday was brutal. Still it's players job to perform and anyone not performing should be evaluated if they should continue to be with a rebuilding team. 

[Skack25]

While I'm certain tanking, or attempts to tank exist, players rely on current performance to drive future contracts.  I can't imagine any player who isn't signed 'long term' to be willing to tank for a team they might not be on next season and, in turn, impact their ability to get signed elsewhere.  Unless of course, the current team incentivizes them to help the tank, which might not be that far fetched.

That being said.. I can 100% see an owner forcing a coaches hand and not playing certain players in an effort to tank.

[Mr. Scot]

A player who willingly participated in a tank would be cutting his own throat.

[pantherclaw]

Never

[GoobyPls]

Lol you named Foreman was he’s on a cheap one year contract. Why would he care who we draft? Most guys on the the roster won’t even be on the team by the time we get good QB play

[Cullenator]

Several people have already pointed it out but to the players this is a job and being seen to be half stepping at this job will get you on the short path to joining the rest of us working stiffs.

[kungfoodude]

24 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

A player who willingly participated in a tank would be cutting his own throat.

Not to mention that a player who so willingly accepts losing is probably not one you should keep around.

You want players and coaches that strive to win every single down, even if they obviously know the hand they have been dealt is a losing hand.

[Tr3ach]

3 minutes ago, stbugs said:

That’s not tanking anyway, but you can look at the previous four years and see quite a few end of the season games where it’s apparent the players weren’t giving much effort.

Remember the 38-6 thrashing in 2019 against an Indy team that was 1-7 in their last 8 games aside from beating us? Butler got tossed from that game but outside of him, no one on our team had any effort or emotion. We finished Ron’s last season with 4 games getting outscored by 90, giving up 150, yes 150. Last two games we lost by 64. That team quit and quit hard.

That's quitting or giving up.  Nothing really to do with tanking on their parts.

[MasterAwesome]

Most players aren't playing the strategic "long game" in the "Not For Long" league.  That's for front offices.  Their job security and "making a fug ton of money" as you put it, is contingent upon them playing to the best of their ability.  Individual effort may fluctuate based on team performance simply due to morale, because winning can give you a little extra boost and getting blown out is demoralizing.  But I guarantee they aren't intentionally ***** up on the field in order to hopefully lose enough games to draft a guy who hopefully ends up being an elite player who is hopefully the missing link to a Super Bowl run.

Also, that would have to be a coordinated effort with full buy-in from everyone in the locker room or else you're just asking for a toxic environment.  Imagine a tanking OT just "forgetting" to block for his QB who is trying to win, or a tanking QB intentionally throwing an uncatchable ball to his WR who is trying to win.

[dynomite]

Maybe Baker played horrible on purpose to get Rhule fired. Maybe Baker is actually all of your guys saviors. He comes back and plays a pretty good half.