Homegrown interim Panthers coach Steve Wilks might be the answer in 2023
Hope seemed to be lost after the Carolina Panthers started the 2022 season with a 1-4 record.
But owner David Tepper’s decision to replace former Panthers coach Matt Rhule with interim head coach Steve Wilks is proving fruitful. For the first time since Tepper bought the team, Carolina could win the NFC South and make the playoffs.
By keeping the Panthers postseason hopes alive and giving Panthers fans some hope, Steve Wilks is one of The Charlotte Observer’s 2023 People to Watch.
“Yes, I’m excited about being here, being from Charlotte, but the focus is not about me,” Wilks said at his October introductory press conference. “The focus is about this organization and making sure that we do everything we can to get back on track.”
The track he put the Panthers on helped Carolina establish a hard-nosed identity. By playing stout defense and running the football, Carolina captured a winning record at Bank of America Stadium under Wilks.
He’s impressed those inside the Panthers organization. The Observer reported in November that Wilks has internal support within the franchise. That support hasn’t wavered, as the Panthers continue on their improbable playoff push.
Wilks — a West Charlotte High alum who previously served as the Arizona Cardinals head coach in 2018 — has an opportunity to remain the team’s head coach but Tepper will conduct a national search once the season concludes.
If retained, Wilks would be the sixth head coach in Panthers’ franchise history and the second hired by Tepper.
This story was originally published December 29, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
