3 former Carolina Panthers who thrived over wildcard weekend

John Fox - Former Carolina Panthers HC

Did you know that John Fox has been with the Detroit Lions this year? From 2002-2010, the respected figure was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.

During those nine years, Fox led the Panthers to three winning records and an appearance in the Super Bowl back in 2003, losing to the New England Patriots.

Fox bounced around a few other teams after his stint with Carolina and has held senior defensive assistant roles since 2022. His most recent stop is with the Detroit Lions this year. While their defense hasn't been stellar, they are the best version we've seen in years. More importantly, the NFC North champions were able to get a win during wildcard weekend.

Because the Dallas Cowboys got bounced out of the playoffs, the Lions get to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round. Frankly, the defense is going to be the deciding factor in this game when they go up against Baker Mayfield.

Fox led the franchise to their first Super Bowl appearance, so he surely holds a spot in the hearts of all Panthers fans. At 68 years old, he is likely entering the final stretch of his coaching career. He surely wants to win a ring and might have a nice shot with the Lions this year. The long-time Panthers head coach was definitely thriving during wildcard weekend.