The Panthers organization will have an important decision to make when it comes to replacing Matt Rhule, but the team is more than happy with their current arrangement. Steve Wilks took on the role of interim HC, and Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes that this was always the team’s plan if things didn’t work out with their now-former head coach.
[RELATED: Panthers Fire Matt Rhule; Steve Wilks Named Interim HC]
The Panthers convinced Wilks to step away from his defensive coordinator gig at Missouri to be their defensive passing game coordinator/secondary coach. The team made this hiring as a contingency in case they had to move on from Rhule; Wilks was still highly regarded within the organization thanks to his previous stint with the Panthers, and ownership was more than happy to hand him the reigns. Per La Canfora, Wilks will get a legitimate chance to keep the head coaching gig beyond this season.
While Panthers owner David Tepper is more than willing to make a big splash on the sideline, sources tell La Canfora that Sean Payton is not a realistic target. Those sources don’t believe Payton would mesh with Tepper, and the organization’s lack of draft picks and a foundational QB means a quick rebuild is unlikely. Plus, one GM told La Canfora that the Saints would prefer to trade Payton to an AFC squad, and it’s especially unlikely they trade him within the division.
Elsewhere on the coaching staff, Al Holcomb will take over as the defensive play caller. The 51-year-old coach was originally hired as Carolina’s defensive run game coordinator. He’ll replace defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who was fired alongside Rhule. Wilks told Joseph Person of The Athletic that it was his decision to move on from Snow, and Person later wrote that the interim HC had some “philosophical differences” with the DC.
“It was my call and my decision,” Wilks said. “I just felt like I wanted a different approach moving forward … The schemes aren’t gonna change much,” he added. “But I think you have to be creative in the process of what you’re doing. And everything is predicated on who we’re playing.”
The more I read this article, the worse I felt for Phil Snow. He coached a competent defense last year, only to have Wilks get brought in due to organizational familiarity and subsequently be outed due to “philosophical differences.”
Hope he rebounds elsewhere
I’m sure he’ll be well paid at whatever school hires Rhule if he doesn’t land another NFL gig.
No chance rhule is a HC in the NFL again
I meant Snow could. I can imagine in. I can’t imagine Rhule getting another NFL gig.
Agreed. Snow was the only one who carried his weight of the brain trust, but he’s fired. The miserable offense has, however, retained its coordinator.
Dropping Brian Burns into pass coverage on 3rd-and-mediums and 3rd-and-longs is enough for me to not feely badly he was let go.
Who rules? (Not) Matt Rhule!
The Panthers can put whatever spin they want on this, but they are in complete disarray
‘The Panthers convinced Wilks to step away from his defensive coordinator gig at Missouri to be their defensive passing game coordinator/secondary coach.’
First, if the team wasn’t comfortable enough with Matt in the offseason, then why retain him for what amounts to another lost season?
Second, if Wilks doesn’t get the HC gig, what a terrible move to lure him away from Missouri.
They didn’t lure Wilks from a perennial power house. Missouri hasn’t been AP ranked in 8 years or won a bowl game during that span.
I get that, but seems like an odd situation. “Hey we may need an interim head coach next season. And that’ll be your interview…’. He very well could have been fired at Missouri. It’s a tough business!
Because of that enormous, ill advised contract.
No reputable coach will want to work for a meddling owner like Tepper.
Money always talks!