ARIZONA CARDINALS

Panthers fire Matt Rhule, former Cardinals coach Steve Wilks now interim

Oct 10, 2022, 8:27 AM | Updated: 8:30 am

Head coach Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals on the sidelines in the game against the Seattle Se...

Head coach Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals on the sidelines in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field on December 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers (1-4) on Monday fired head coach Matt Rhule and replaced him with former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, the team announced.

Rhule, who was hired in 2020 away from Baylor, went 11-27 over two-plus seasons while Carolina sputtered trying to find a franchise quarterback and beyond.

Wilks this season has served as defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach. He was a member of the Panthers’ staff under former head coach Ron Rivera from 2012-17, acting as defensive backs coach (2012-14) and then assistant head coach in 2015. He took over the defensive coordinator role in 2017 before being hired as the Cardinals’ replacement for Bruce Arians in 2018.

His tenure in Arizona was short-lived as Wilks went 3-13 in his only season on the job.

The Cardinals’ season included a mid-year firing of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, replacing veteran quarterback Sam Bradford with first-round pick Josh Rosen and cornerback Patrick Peterson requesting a trade before rescinding that desire.

Arizona replaced Wilks with current head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who has gone 26-27 as an NFL head coach.

Wilks, after losing his job with the Cardinals, served as Cleveland Brown defensive coordinator in 2018 under Hue Jackson and then interim Gregg Williams. Wilks was not retained when Cleveland hired Kevin Stefanski for the 2020 season.

He then landed a job as defensive coordinator under Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz before returning to the NFL on Rhule’s staff to begin this 2022 season.

Carolina has a Week 3 victory against the New Orleans Saints but has lost to the Browns, Giants, Cardinals and 49ers. The Panthers fell to San Francisco 37-15 on Sunday, prompting the firing of Rhule.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals is embracing change amid coaching staff carousel....

Tyler Drake

‘Part of the business’: Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon facing new challenge in Year 3

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is facing a new reality with the departures of multiple assistants this offseason.

1 day ago

A recent ESPN mock draft has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks in the first two rounds of the NF...

Brandon Cadiz

ESPN’s Matt Miller has Cardinals taking two CBs in Mock Draft

ESPN's analyst Matt Miller has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

2 days ago

Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort looks on. It's officially NFL mock draft season with Arizona's...

Tyler Drake

NFL mock draft tracker: What will Cardinals do with No. 16 pick?

A look across the NFL mock draft landscape when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals' No. 16 overall pick in this year's draft.

2 days ago

The Jaguars are hiring former Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next QBs coac...

Tyler Drake

Jaguars hiring Cardinals’ Spencer Whipple as their new quarterbacks coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next quarterbacks coach.

3 days ago

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs the ball for a touchdown during the secon...

Associated Press

Saquon Barkley can set the NFL total rushing record, but he wants a Super Bowl win

Saquon Barkley is 30 yards shy of breaking the NFL season rushing record, postseason included. He wants a Super Bowl win.

3 days ago

Could the Arizona Cardinals be headed toward adding another offensive line cornerstone in the 2025 ...

Tyler Drake

You can officially put these Ohio State prospects on Cardinals’ NFL Draft radar

Could the connection between Cardinals OL coach Justin Frye and a couple of offensive line prospects impact what Arizona does in the NFL Draft?

3 days ago

Panthers fire Matt Rhule, former Cardinals coach Steve Wilks now interim