Skip Bayless Says Panthers Players Should Threaten Not ‘To Play Next Year’ After New Head Coach Was Hired Over Interim Coach
Fox Sports host Skip Bayless thinks the Carolina Panthers players should form a protest after the front office hired Frank Reich as their head coach, opting not to keep interim coach Steve Wilks.
The Panthers hired Reich on Thursday after the Indianapolis Colts fired him in November. The Panthers fired their head coach Matt Rhule in October after a 1-4 start. Steve Wilks, who was the defensive coordinator, took over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. After Wilks took over, the panthers played to a 6-6 record and missed winning the NFC South by one game. Heading into the offseason, the question became if Wilks would get the job full-time, which ultimately did not happen.
On Friday’s Undisputed, Bayless believes the players on the Panthers are not thrilled with owner David Tepper‘s decision to pass on Wilks and hire Reich.
“What is going on in that locker room today? Because they cannot be happy with it,” Bayless said. “We’re not disrespecting Frank Reich; it’s just all about Steve Wilks.”
The Undisputed host thinks the players should stand up to Tepper and the front office about Reich’s hiring.
“At what point do the players not rise up, and stand up, and say, ‘no’ because this is a situation, forgive me if I’m going too far here, but this is like a boycott situation where I got to see them say, ‘no, we refuse. As a team, we have voted not to play next year,'” Bayless added. “I know we’re talking about everybody’s money on the table.”
“Wouldnt you like to see some form of protest here? Where you stand up as a football team and say, ‘this is not acceptable to us,'” Bayless continued.
In a tweet on Friday morning, Wilks wrote his first public comments since the Panthers announced the news of Reich’s hiring. He posted:
The sun rose this morning and by the grace of God so did I. I’m disappointed but not defeated. Many people arent built for this but I know what it means to persevere and see it through.
It was an honor for me to coach those men in the Carolina Panthers locker room as the interim head coach. Players, coaches and staff, thank you for your hard work and dedication. I took pride in representing Charlotte, a great city that I love so much. Thank you to my family, friends and the community for your overwhelming support.
I do wish Frank Reich all the best. I will always be a fan of the Carolina Panthers Football Team.
#KEEP POUNDING #Psalm 37:23-24
Wilks is a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NFL. Former head coach and current senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach Brian Flores filed racial discrimination against the NFL in February 2022 after the Miami Dolphins fired him.
In a statement to Front Office Sports on Thursday evening, lawyers representing Wilks wrote:
We are shocked and disturbed that after the incredible job Coach Wilks did as the interim coach, including bringing the team back into playoff contention and garnering the support of the players and fans that he was passed over for the head coach position by David Tepper.
There is a ligament race problem in the NFL, and we can assure you that we will have more to say in the coming days.
Watch above via Fox Sports 1.
