After the dismissal of Matt Rhule, Steve Wilks took over as interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Since then, the team from Carolina won five of the ten games and still has chances for a playoff ticket. According to several NFL insiders, Wilks has recommended himself as a possible long-term solution with the team’s improved performance.

“One thing is clear, all of us here want Steve Wilks to be our next head coach,” Derrick Brown, defensive tackle of the Carolina Panthers, let it be known during a recent press conference.

After the dismissal of Matt Rhule, under whose leadership the Panthers lost four of the first five games of the season, Wilks took over as interim solution. The Panthers went on a winning spree, winning three of their last four games. Overall, the Panthers currently have a 6-9 record and are still in the (snail) race for the NFC South title.

With two wins in the next two games, Carolina would clinch a playoff spot. First it’s against the Buccaneers, then the New Orleans Saints.

Panthers: Steve Wilks as long-term head coach?

According to several NFL insiders, Wilks has a good chance at a long-term commitment if he qualifies for the playoffs. Even missing the playoffs wouldn’t automatically rule him out as a candidate.

The 53-year-old was already head coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, but was fired after just one year following a disappointing season (3-13 record). With the Panthers, he was responsible for coordinating the pass defence on defence and coaching the secondary before his promotion. From 2012 to 2017, he already worked for the Panthers under then Head Coach Ron Rivera and gained experience as a defensive coordinator, among other things.

Especially his interaction with players resonates. “You could be one of the stars and he still tells you exactly what he thought of your performance after game day. That provides clarity and that’s what we want,” praised Derrick Brown.