Panthers' Fox can void 2010

There's a reason Panthers coach John Fox continues to be connected to head coach openings.

Last month, the Panthers took the highly unusual step of giving Fox the right to void the last year on his contract, according to two NFL sources.


Of course, the only way Fox would do it were if he had a job and contract waiting that made it worth leaving Carolina.

Washington didn't provide it, Cleveland never opened, Buffalo still is searching for a new head coach and Fox appears unwilling to go there, and Seattle is destined to hire Pete Carroll.

Should another attractive opening fail to materialize this offseason, Fox could wait a year, coach out his contract, and become a free agent next year.

Some people around the league have suggested that, in time, with the support Fox enjoys in New York, he could be a potential successor for Giants coach Tom Coughlin.

Adam Schefter is ESPN's NFL Insider.

 

interesting, but just a more official version of what we expected - that the team could let him walk if he demanded to. Trades are possible but we wouldn't get much, and that only leaves a big lagtime. You'd miss out on other candidates waiting for compensation.

If this trade type situation lets you know anything for the coach leaving, and obviously leaving without your staff, it's that you make the right choice to go. Gruden picked up a playoff team and made the adjustments the other guy wouldn't. Edwards chose a bad team and tweaked it specifically to his style but didn't have the firepower, or apparently ability, to make a difference.

Fox leaving for the Bills, that wouldn't be the situation he'd want. You don't sign a QB and a corner and make them respectable. You rebuild and hope, and you don't get megabucks for rebuild and hope. Making that wrong move is a career-ender, staying another year and facing uncertainty doesn't end anything.

 

I have posted that Fox needs to go for multiple reasons that I wont get into again here, but I've also said that he could win me back over too, because I do believe he's done many great things for this franchise and I think his biggest fault was sticking with Jake too long, which he can still correct by simply giving others a fair chance in the future.

But I just wanted to throw something out there, because while many speculate that he could coach one more year for us, and then walk,,, I say thats a huge risk and here's why,,,, because next year we should get an easier schedule, we have a good nucleus returning, and hopefully the QB situation (whether its Moore, Jake or someone else) can only get better than 2009,,, so honestly in 2010 we have a realistic chance to win.

The risk is, what if we don't win in 2010? What if we flop around .500 once again? Where does that leave Fox? I don't think he has us or anybody else over the barrel at all, I think given the circumstances, if he stays, the pressure (career-wise) is on him to win next year, big time.

 

I'd say that pressure is always there.

I'd also say, if he gets us to .500 next year, both the team and Fox have the ability to look around.

 

2 thoughts:

Richardson would not have allowed this if he did not already have a replacement.

That replacement is not Cowher - but Dungy. Dungy was his first choice in 2002, but Dungy picked Indy. Also, Dungy's defense is already in place.

Muy interesante.

 

very interesting thought on Dungy. Great point on the D, and we have his coordinator. We also have two top backs and that's what Dungy had in Tampa. The downside is that Dungy's best success was with a QB handed to him, and for that matter an offense. He can't add that.

That could happen and JR would want that (a lot more than Cowher). They obviously feel strongly about Hurney being the GM and I think they'd work well together - Hurney might quit if Fox is fired, but if Fox leaves there's not a ton they can say about that.


But, flipside, I think that this team is easily set upto find a likeminded young coach that could just step up and take the existing team on. The nucleus is there so I'd say it's more likely that we put up an internal coach or a young coach (I'd obviously prefer Harbaugh, but you could plug in a McDermott, or even Rivera). An internal coach or young outside candidate would be cheap, and going into year 2 with labor unrest would probably help that coach (where it wouldn't Fox). Any new coach would also benefit - you get to sit back, get to know what you want to do and what you learned after year one. Fox already has that plan in. What's to learn/tweak?

 

I realize the pressure to win is "always" there,,, just pointing out that Fox going into his final year doesn't mean that he has the team over the barrel in any way, because I think (giv the circumstances) the pressure for him to win next year is more than ever.

If Fox leaves, I'm not one of these Cowher fanatics,,,, if/when it comes to that, I would rather see us go get a younger coach.

Dungy is interesting...

 

I don't think so, lots of coaches get second chances why should Fox be any different?

 

They're setup for a young coach, but I don't really think that's in the plans because of this strange news regarding Fox. I think they have a guy chosen, because I just don't see Richardson letting Fox walk otherwise. And I just don't see a young guy being THAT guy - interviews, etc. THAT guy just screams - to me - Tony Dungy.

 

Presidence, because I believe Fox has already gotten his 2nd chance. When was it that JR took Fox out to his country cabin and everyone thought the axe may fall even then? There have been some question about playcalling (blame his assistants), playing with heart (ie Kris Jenkins), winning consistently maybe the past couple years. That is why (IMO) you have so many who talk about Fox trading away future draft picks, because I think he knows he needs to win NOW. Sticking with Jake too long, was just the most recent nail for some to use.

Btw, I don't blame Fox for all of above, my biggest issue with him was Jake this year. But those other issues did happen, which is why I believe he's already been given a 2nd chance,,, and I think he knows it, which may explain why he stuck with Jake for so long, figuring if he was going to leave, he was leaving doing things on his own terms. Don't know that, just an opinion.