According to a report from Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley, there are some Carolina Panthers players who privately feel that owner David Tepper made the wrong choice in hiring Frank Reich.
Wilks was among the finalists for the gig, but the Panthers ultimately announced the hiring of Reich last week. Reich — who spent 13 seasons as an NFL quarterback, including the 1995 inaugural Panthers season — most recently served as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts beginning in 2018, before being fired following Week 9 of the 2022 campaign.
Wilks took over as the Panthers interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired following a 1-4 start. Despite a mid-season fire sale that saw the organization trade Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson among others, Wilks led Carolina to a 6-6 record to finish 7-10 and nearly make the playoffs.
“The product was much improved with Wilks in charge, a reflection that he knew the right buttons to push,” Beasley wrote.
Though Wilks released a positive statement Friday after not being chosen for the permanent job, his attorneys released a statement after Reich’s hiring saying they were “shocked and disturbed” with the decision and “there is a legitimate race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.” The same firms represent Wilks as a co-defendant in former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ suit against the NFL over racial discrimination.
