CAROLINA PANTHERS

JANUARY 11, 2017 6:43 PM

With Sean McDermotts departure, Carolina

Panthers will promote Steve Wilks for seamless
transition

i
BY JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@charlotteobserver.com

The last time the Carolina Panthers lost an assistant coach to a head coaching job, Panthers coach
Ron Rivera interviewed a couple of external candidates before promoting Mike Shula to offensive
coordinator.
The process of nding a replacement for defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who was named
the Buffalo Bills head coach Wednesday, wont take nearly as long.
[ NFL schedule and scores | NFL standings | Panthers schedule and results ]
Rivera will promote assistant head coach/secondary coach Steve Wilks, according to two team
sources with knowledge of the situation. An announcement on Wilks could come as soon as
Thursday.

Panthers' Dave Gettleman on disappointing 2016 season

The Carolina Panthers are not going away and will get the things that went wrong in the 2016 season corrected,
Dave Gettleman said.
Davie Hinshaw - The Charlotte Observer

McDermott is expected to take Panthers linebackers coach Al Holcomb with him as the Bills
defensive coordinator, a league source said. Holcomb has worked closely with McDermott the
past four seasons since arriving in Charlotte.
But the transition from McDermott to Wilks should be relatively seamless, which is one of the
reasons Rivera prefers to hire from within the organization.
Rivera and Wilks worked together in Chicago and San Diego before Wilks joined him on the
Panthers staff in 2012. It has been understood for several years that Wilks would become the
defensive coordinator if McDermott left, the sources said.
That day came Wednesday, when McDermott realized his long-stated goal of becoming a head
coach.
McDermott, 42, a former Philadelphia Eagles assistant, oversaw a top-10 defense in four of his
six seasons with Carolina. He was the only coordinator to lead a top-10 unit every year from
2012-2015.
Both Rivera and Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, McDermotts boss in Philadelphia, have
praised McDermotts head-coaching makeup in recent weeks.

Panthers pack up Monday

Carolina Panthers players came to Bank of America Stadium on Monday to clean out their lockers following the
team's loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday 17-16.
Jeff Siner - The Charlotte Observer

On Wednesday, Rivera said he was very happy for McDermott and his wife, Jamie.
He has earned the opportunity, Rivera said in a text message.
The Panthers defense is not expected to change much under Wilks, who will stick with
McDermotts 4-3 scheme while putting his own stamp on it.
Wilks, 47, who interviewed for the Los Angeles Rams head coaching position last week, will lean
heavily on defensive line coach Eric Washington, a well-respected assistant who is entering his
seventh season on Riveras staff.
Rivera will have two hires to make if Holcomb leaves with McDermott.
He could shift assistant special teams coach Chase Blackburn to linebackers coach. Blackburn
played linebacker in the NFL for 10 seasons, including his last two with Carolina before retiring
after the 2014 season.
As for lling Wilks position, Rivera could turn to longtime NFL assistant and Gastonia native
Perry Fewell.
Fewell, 54, interviewed for the Panthers head coaching position in 2011 before Rivera was hired.
Fewell and Rivera were together in Chicago on Lovie Smiths Bears staff for one season in 2005.
Fewell was red in Washington last week along with defensive coordinator Joe Barry and
defensive line coach Robb Akey.
Joseph Person: 704-358-5123, @josephperson

[MORE: Complete Carolina Panthers coverage]

Odell Beckham Jr. drops potential 28-yard touchdown catch

PLAY

0:31

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. can't haul in Eli Manning's pass in the end zone.

+ More Videos

MORE CAROLINA PANTHERS

SUGGESTED FOR YOU

COMMENTS

SPONSORED CONTENT

How 2 Boston Grads Are

Disrupting The Auto Insurance
Industry
This small team of data scientists has made
an algorithm that is turning a giant 19 billion
dollar industry up-side-down.
ByProvideSavingsInsuranceQuotes