Fox

His foxyness bugs me about his future here. Can't blame him for feeling dissed, can't blame JR for not extending.

Gotta wonder what happens if Coughlin gets whacked.

 

Word out of NY is that Couglin stays, at least for one more year to make it right. Maybe Fox is setting himself up for NY 2011.

 

I understand why he is disappointed in not getting an extension. I think part of JR's thinking is not having to pay a coach in 2011 if there is no football. I think that's a bit foolish, as I can't see owners or players not making money for very long. Particuarly with how much stadium debt some have.

That said, if the Panthers make the playoffs next year, then he's set up for a big payday in 2011.

 

I don't expect him to return. I think we buy out his contract, and he's done enough to sit for a year or two and wait for the right opportunity to open up. New York would be an absolutely perfect fit.

 

I think someone else buys it out or he returns.

 

Prefer him to stay, whip ass in the first half of next year, and sign an extension.

Oh, and since we're signing our own checks here, Danny Crossman is given a nice job in groundskeeping.


At either rate, I do still have a hard time seeing him leave.

 

When word emerged recently that Panthers coach John Fox will be permitted to return for 2010 but won't be given an extension of a contract that expires after one more season, it appeared that the Panthers possibly were playing a game of buyout chicken with Fox.

And Fox now seems to have taken the bait, setting up a battle that could conjure memories of the final days of George Costanza's tenure at Play Now.

Regarding the eight-year head coach's status in Carolina, Fox said after Sunday's win over the Saints (per Steve Reed of CarolinaGrowl.com), "I have a year left on my contract and I haven't had any postseason conversations with [owner Jerry Richardson]. I have an agent that handles those things."

Asked whether he wants to return in 2010 without any security beyond the season, Fox said, "I would like to just get through this day and see where everything goes with that."

That said, he's not in a bad position. Even if he returns for only one more year, he'll be paid $6.5 million in 2010.

The question becomes whether the Panthers will offer to let him walk away for a reduced payment, especially since Fox could possibly be a candidate for one of the other head-coaching vacancies that emerge this year.

But with jobs opening up as soon as tomorrow, time is of the essence. And so the question becomes whether either side will blink, or whether Richardson will declare over the P.A. system that Fox's private bathroom may now be used by all team employees, and their families.


-PFT

 

At this point it appears the ball is in Fox's court as to whether he wants to return next year, although if he leaves it might require another team to give the Panthers some compensation in terms of draft picks. When asked if he wants to return next year, Fox said, "Like every off-season there is evaluations and things you look at. I usually talk to my family and see where all of that goes. We're just getting started with that so I can't comment on that."


When asked about where he understands his situation is right now, Fox said, "I have a year left on my contract and I haven't had any postseason conversations with (owner Jerry Richardson). I have an agent that handles those things."
When asked if he's willing to go into next season with one year left on his contract -- something that would be unusual in the NFL -- Fox said, "I would like to just get through this day and see where everything goes with that."
Fox said he will check out the team Monday morning but doesn't know when he'll talk to Richardson.
"If I did I wouldn't go into it," he said.

 

Trade him to the Bills for the 1st rounder and sign Cowher
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