Steve Wilks receives support from former DB Peanut Tillman
Dec 24, 2018, 10:10 AM
Retired Carolina Panthers cornerback Charles Tillman take a photo before an NFL game between the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
(AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Steve Wilks will be on the hot seat no matter how his Arizona Cardinals’ season finale goes.
Arizona is 3-12 with a road game against the Seattle Seahawks left in Wilks first year as head coach, and multiple reports before a 31-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday indicated the Cardinals appear serious about moving on by making a second head coaching change in a year.
After Arizona receiver Larry Fitzgerald offered his support for Wilks on Sunday night, the coach’s former defensive back, Charles “Peanut” Tillman, followed that with a message to the Cardinals and their fans Monday morning.
@AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/233Sd9voKn
— Charles Tillman (@peanuttillman) December 24, 2018
Tillman, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive back who is now reportedly an FBI agent, played under Wilks, then a defensive backs coach, with the Chicago Bears from 2006-08. During their first year together, Chicago made a run to Super Bowl XLI, where it lost to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.
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The duo teamed up again in 2015, Tillman’s final NFL season, with the Carolina Panthers. With Wilks as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach, the Panthers went to Super Bowl 50 but suffered a defeat at the hands of the Manning-led Denver Broncos.
Wilks was hired in Arizona this past January with strong support coming from his past players and future players. Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson tweeted “I LOVE IT” after Wilks was reportedly landing with the Cardinals, and former Carolina DB Josh Norman offered that Wilks would help Peterson’s game grow.
Of course, Peterson has since asked out of Arizona — reports indicated he liked Wilks but did not want to be part of a rebuild — before reaffirming his commitment to the Cardinals.
Fitzgerald told NFL.com in a text that he and the team’s locker room were all supportive of Wilks keeping his job.
“Obviously, we all understand this is a results business,” Fitzgerald said after Sunday’s loss to the Rams. “That doesn’t change the human element for me and the guys on the team. We enjoy him. He treats us well. Just wish we could play better for him.
“I love Coach Wilks and we would love to have him back. He’s a wonderful man.”
