Head coach John Fox has led the Carolina Panthers to the highest highs of their short existence, taking the team to a 2003 NFC championship and last-minute Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots (you know, the Janet Jackson game!). He's gone 73-69 in nine seasons, but all indications are that he's done after two more games, the final one taking place in the Georgia Dome.
Pat Yasinkas gathers resources and intel on where the Panthers might look after turning Fox loose. The Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person notes the big names that will get obvious solicitation by Cats fans -- Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher -- but doesn't think the team wants to spend the kind of money that would drag them away from easy TV jobs after shelling out $6 million in 2010 on Fox. We think we know the kind of money Gruden just turned down in Miami. It was supposedly $3 million, according to various reports.
Adam Schefter has said multiple sources have give him reason to look for the Panthers to go after Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm. Grimm was a four-time All Pro guard for the Washington Redskins, and his son Cody Grimm plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a career at Virginia Tech. Meaning father would coach against son twice a year, and Brian Baldinger would have something to talk about for two hours every Carolina-Tampa meeting.
Fox went 7-10 against the Falcons as Panthers head coach.