SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — About an hour into Wednesday’s practice, Panthers coach Ron Rivera called his players together near midfield and ripped into them for the next several minutes — sending a message loud enough that everyone nearby could hear.

Rivera isn’t a screamer, so when he does raise his voice players tend to listen.

The second-year coach was upset with the tempo the players displayed after he allowed them to practice in shorts and shoulder pads instead of full pads. He says it was disappointing that the Panthers “wasted” two periods of practice.

Rivera says “just because we back down (with pads) doesn’t mean we don’t practice hard.”

He reminded players that jobs are on the line and that “a lot of opportunities are being passed up by not practicing hard.”

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