CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- For 12 games, the pressure was on Steve Wilks to prove he could do an "incredible job" as interim coach. That's what Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper said Wilks would need to do in order to consider him for the full-time job.
In the eyes of the players and many around the NFL, Wilks did that in his 12 games at the helm, winning more games (six) than former coach Matt Rhule did in each of his two-plus seasons (5-12, 5-11, 1-4) while getting Carolina (7-10) within one win of making the playoffs as the NFC South champions.