In the wake of Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper firing head coach Frank Reich last week, several Panthers coaches, players and staff members spoke anonymously about dysfunction within the organization.

According to Joseph Person and Dianna Russini of The Athletic, people within the organization described the culture as being like the movie "The Hunger Games," with some coaches and staff members allegedly going into business for themselves.

Sources believed that some members of the organization texted Tepper about issues behind Reich's back and went to great lengths to save themselves when it appeared as though Reich's job was in jeopardy.

At one point, general manager Scott Fitterer and an offensive coach reportedly discussed coaching ideas for rookie quarterback Bryce Young without Reich's knowledge.

After Reich went 40-33-1 and made two playoff appearances in parts of five seasons as the Indianapolis Colts' head coach, the Panthers hired him and signed him to a four-year deal, but his tenure was short-lived.

Reich was fired after a 1-10 start, making his coaching tenure the shortest in the NFL since 1978, per Person and Russini.

Tepper reportedly encouraged Reich to go outside his circle when assembling his coaching staff, which led to an offensive staff that had limited synergy and wasn't necessarily aligned in philosophy.

That led to Reich playing hot potato with the play-calling duties, as he started the season as the play-caller, ceded the responsibility to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown and then took it back before getting fired.

The Panthers gave up a bounty of draft picks, plus wide receiver D.J. Moore, in a trade with the Chicago Bears to move up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and they used that selection on Young.

Young has clearly gone through some growing pains at the NFL level, as he is completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 2,055 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions, and has been sacked 44 times.

The rookie missed one game due to injury this season, and in that game 36-year-old veteran and three-time Pro Bowler Andy Dalton turned in the best performance by a Panthers quarterback this season, throwing for 361 yards and two touchdowns.

Some coaches reportedly wanted Dalton to be named the starter over Young, but Reich, Fitterer and Tepper were never informed of that desire.

While Reich was the first casualty due to Young's lack of development, he reportedly may not be the last.

Person and Russini noted that Fitterer has been given "no assurances" regarding his future with the team.

Fitterer has come under fire for not providing Young and the offense with enough weapons, as he traded Moore in order to move up and select Young, and replaced him with veteran wideout Adam Thielen.

The Panthers have not reached the playoffs since 2017, and they are in line to have the worst record in the league this season, but they don't even possess their own first-round pick since they traded it to the Bears.

All of those factors suggest there will be pressure on Tepper to get it right with his next head coaching hire, which will represent the Panthers' third different full-time head coach in three seasons, and their fifth different head coach overall in the past three years when factoring in interim head coaches as well.