4 changes making a big difference for Panthers under Steve Wilks

Carolina Panthers have returned to their roots

The Brand.

Matt Rhule’s philosophy was forced down everyone’s throats. An ethos that worked fine at the collegiate level, but it couldn’t transition to a professional environment and increased the disenchantment between the Carolina Panthers and its long-suffering fanbase.

This is thankfully a thing of the past.

Steve Wilks was around Carolina when the team accomplished a significant amount. More importantly, he grew up supporting the Panthers and hails from the area, so the interim head coach knows exactly what this franchise means to people.

Wilks is restoring the culture normally associated with the Panthers. While the Keep Pounding message was often lost under Rhule, that isn’t going to be the case with his short-term successor and as long as he’s calling the shots, there will be nothing but maximum effort, physicality, and working hard for themselves and each other.

There is now some clear accountability and unity within the locker room. Not only publicly, but returning to what made Carolina great in the first place is coming with higher standards and every single Panthers player from top to bottom pulling in the same direction.

To say this has been refreshing would be an understatement. The Panthers might only be 2-3 under Wilks, but the effort, overall performances, and atmosphere across the organization are night and day from Rhule’s complete disaster.