Panthers’ Steve Wilks highlighted as head-coaching candidate for 2023

Steve Wilks seems to be nailing his audition with the Carolina Panthers.

On Tuesday’s edition of Good Morning Football, NFL Network insider Mike Garofolo joined host Peter Schrager and talked about next year’s potential head-coaching candidates. In the “Next Ones Up” segment, Garofolo highlights the job Wilks has done in Carolina—straight off the team’s bounce-back win over the Atlanta Falcons.

This is what he said of Wilks’ response, one in which he dismissed a pair of defensive coaches, following the Week 9 embarrassment in Cincinnati:

“And I think that the coaching staff responded and it was unbelievable how the players responded—to put that Cincinnati game behind them and come out and play spirited football and to be challenged by Wilks to play well up front the way that they did. That’s what you want from your head coach. That kind of motivation that he provided that week.”

Since taking over for Matt Rhule, Wilks has been praised by players for his attitude and command of the team. Although the Panthers sit at 3-7, they’ve won two (which could’ve easily been three) of their five games under Wilks.

And now, the rest of the NFL is starting to take notice.

Took a look at a few head-coaching candidates with @PSchrags for @gmfb. Started with a guy who’s already in the role in #Panthers interim Steve Wilks. pic.twitter.com/cBwSUMCmr0

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 15, 2022