:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71842135/1452230964.0.jpg "Panthers head coach interviews: Steve Wilks to interview for permanent job on Tuesday, per report")
The Carolina Panthers have begun their search for a new head coach, and one of the first interviews will be in-house. Interim head coach Steve Wilks will interview for the job on Tuesday, per Joe Person.
Wilks took over as interim head coach after owner David Tepper fired Matt Rhule following a 1-4 start to the season. The Panthers went 6-6 after Wilks took over and had a very real shot at the AFC South title heading into Week 17. They lost to the Bucs, but it was an impressive run for a team that had dealt away Christian McCaffrey and Robbie Anderson in what was looking like the start of a rebuilding process.
Jim Harbaugh is reportedly interested in the job as well, and there will be other candidates. And yet, it makes sense to turn the permanent job over to Wilks. He struggled in his first head coach job, with his Arizona Cardinals team going 3-13 before he was fired. He did not get an extended opportunity, but this time around we saw a team that played some inspired football after he took over. The NFL is hardly fair, but if the league wants to pretend it's a meritocracy, Wilks has earned the job.