There’s no question that the Carolina Panthers are a different team since interim coach Steve Wilks took over in week six. He’s been able to guide the team through the changes and adversities of the season with the skill and leadership ability of someone who doesn’t deserve to have the interim tag attached to his name. And while the calls for Wilks’ tenure as head coach to become permanent grow louder with each win, here’s why David Tepper can’t remove the interim tag midseason – even if he wanted to.
In 2003 the NFL adopted the Rooney Rule based on recommendations made by the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee to address the low numbers of minorities in head coaching positions.
In 2021 the rule was modified, requiring teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for open head coaching positions and at least one external minority candidate for a coordinator job. Even though Coach Wilks is a minority interim head coach, the Rooney Rule still applies and organization will have to conduct two in-person interviews with two external minority candidates – and if those candidates are employed by other teams, the in-person interviews cannot be held until the end of the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
So while calls for the interim tag to be removed from Wilks grow stronger – and rightfully so – it cannot happen until after the season.