The Timeline of Andy Towers' Resignation
12/20/2024 12:55 PM
The Timeline of Andy Towers' Resignation
Andy Towers stepping down as the Carolina Chaos head coach is one of the most polarizing headlines to come out of the PLL in recent years. Towers has become a household name among PLL coaches thanks to his energetic personality and passion for the game. With the league's deep dive into social media content, Towers quickly became a fan favorite, regularly featured in viral clips showcasing his fiery enthusiasm. Week after week, fans eagerly consumed new Andy Towers content, drawn to his infectious energy and unwavering commitment to Chaos lacrosse.
So, when Dan Arestia of Sticks In Lacrosse reported two weeks ago that Towers was stepping down, speculation ran rampant. What exactly was happening behind the scenes to prompt such a momentous decision? Thankfully, Inside Lacrosse released a detailed breakdown of the story on Tuesday, shedding light on the chain of events that led to Towers' resignation. A big shoutout to Dan Arestia and Inside Lacrosse for not only breaking the news but also digging into the behind-the-scenes drama—something notoriously hard to access in the lacrosse world. Let's take a look at what led to Coach Towers stepping down as head coach of the Carolina Chaos.
November 18, 2024
The PLL front office of Seth Tierney and Rachael DeCecco shared with Andy Towers that they were hearing consistent negative feedback about offensive coordinator Matt Panetta via their annual player surveys. Those surveys indicated concerns over offensive strategies that led to Chaos finishing last in scoring offense this season. Yet, it would appear Towers largely ignored what the data had said and moved forward with support for Panetta, citing the historical success of the coaching staff. Towers mentioned how his teams have appeared three times in PLL title games, culminating in a championship in 2021. Towers questioned the legitimacy of those survey results and doubled down with whole-hearted devotion to his staff.
Late November 2024
Discussions between Towers and the PLL continued to escalate with the league further pushing for Panetta’s replacement. Towers resisted strongly citing his own player surveys which reflected very little dissatisfaction among his team. He said taking out Panetta would be unfair and not right based on some league anonymous data. During these exchanges, tensions were raised, and Paul Rabil suggested a pause for reflection over the Thanksgiving holiday to try and de-escalate the situation.
Post-Thanksgiving-Late November 2024
The final straw was a Zoom meeting between Towers and the PLL front office after the holiday. Towers-repeated the notion that he wouldn’t budge on his stance on Panetta as he felt it was over the line to have the league telling him who he could and couldn’t have on his coaching staff. Neither side budged in that virtual meeting, and Towers decided he would resign as Chaos head coach. In a show of solidarity, the entire Chaos coaching staff resigned following Towers' departure, aligning with his decision to step down after the league’s pressure to replace Panetta.”
December 5, 2024
Dan Arestia with Sticks In Lacrosse reported that Towers resigned under pressure from the league to replace Panetta. The report shocked many to wondering why one of the league’s cornerstone coaches was stepping down along with his entire staff.
Rest of December 2024
More details came to light about the PLL’s system of surveys (Inside Lacrosse) and how it weighs player input on the performance of their coaching staff. Towers then publicly decried the process of surveying players as nontransparent and one that didn’t actually represent the dynamics of what was going on inside the Chaos locker room. He maintained his opinion that Panetta was being made a scapegoat for the team’s offense, which he said had underperformed due to offseason roster moves and the transition to a new offensive philosophy in 2024. The Chaos overhaul of their offense from a more box-style scheme to a predominantly two-handed approach had some major growing pains, culminating in finishing last in offensive production.
Conclusion
It has been one of the biggest, most publicized feuds in PLL history, and the argument about a league being so centralized has really started to take a hit with many questioning whether it’s hurting the team dynamics. Towers repeated his loyalty to Panetta and his staff while he has blamed the league for overreach and mishandling. Despite the ugly ending, Towers wished the PLL and Chaos continued success as he rides off into the sunset, leaving behind a legacy of loyalty, passion, and steadfast devotion to his coaching principles.
