Are the Carolina Panthers right to swerve Jim Harbaugh’s interest?

Are the Carolina Panthers and team owner David Tepper right to reportedly swerve Jim Harbaugh’s interest in the vacant head coaching position?

Now that the Carolina Panthers’ 2022 engagements are in the rearview mirror, speculation is gathering pace about their offseason plans. Something that will shape the short and long-term future of the franchise at an extremely important time.

Just when all hope seemed lost, Carolina now has hope for the future. Steve Wilks‘ contribution during his time as head coach is the primary factor behind this newfound belief, but whether it’s enough for team owner David Tepper to remove the interim tag remains to be seen.

Wilks faltered in critical moments against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But his full body of work and the difficult circumstances surrounding his tenure need proper context when evaluating his potential to lead the Panthers long-term.

The players are fully on board with Wilks. However, there’s no doubt Tepper is going to explore every option before coming to an official conclusion.

Carolina Panthers not planning to hire Jim Harbaugh as head coach

Much of the talk over recent days has centered on Jim Harbaugh‘s conversation with Tepper. Perhaps the most interesting revelation in its immediate aftermath was that the Michigan head coach instigated proceedings, not Carolina’s controversial owner.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Harbaugh’s representatives were relentless in their quest to speak with Tepper. But the discussion was never anything like a job interview where the billionaire was concerned.

"“Sources tell CBS Sports that Harbaugh — or his representation — had been calling Tepper with some regularity in recent weeks. Tepper eventually held a conversation with Harbaugh, but it was never characterized as a job interview for the permanent head coaching job in Carolina.”"

Even though there’s been no official confirmation from the team, Jones also revealed that the Panthers are planning to go down a different route. One primary reason according to the insider is Tepper’s concern surrounding Harbaugh’s interview process with the Minnesota Vikings last spring when it looked for a long time as if he would be the man to replace Mike Zimmer.

"“Reports out of Minnesota about Harbaugh’s interview last year with the Vikings made Tepper wary, sources say. A lengthy interview between the Vikings and Harbaugh last January didn’t result in an offer, and sources describe Harbaugh’s behavior during the interview as “odd.”"

Harbaugh is obviously looking for a way out of the college ranks and is also scheduled to interview with the Denver Broncos early next week according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. It’s also worth remembering that the Wolverines and their head coach are subject to an investigation after allegedly breaching NCAA rules.

While many fans would welcome Harbaugh’s arrival in Carolina, Tepper’s opinion is the only one that matters. And if the billionaire isn’t 100 percent convinced, then he is right to look the other way.

After his first appointment ended up being a complete disaster from start to finish, Tepper is right to err on the side of caution. He can ill afford another rash move that holds this franchise back, so taking his time and leaning on front office personnel currently in the building is undoubtedly the best course of action.

Harbaugh is now out of the running, one suspects. Swerving someone with a glowing college and NFL résumé is a big call to make, but there are many other candidates deserving of recognition and the turnaround accomplished by Wilks also deserves significant respect.

Tepper’s next move will make or break his time as an NFL owner. And fans will not tolerate any further mismanagement under his leadership.