CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A familiar face could soon return to the Carolina Panthers coaching staff, as the team has requested an interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey for its head coaching vacancy, according to multiple reports.
Dorsey served as the Panthers' quarterbacks coach from 2013 through 2017. He joined the Bills' staff as a quarterbacks coach in 2019 and was named offensive coordinator this season.
Dorsey is among at least three offensive coordinators the Panthers requested to interview, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The others include Eagles assistant Shane Steichen and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Carolina also reportedly requested an interview with Mike Kafka, the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants. Former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell has also been linked to interviewing with the Panthers.
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said Monday that the team's candidate pool won't include a "large group." Fitterer said he will be part of the search committee, alongside team owner David Tepper and his wife Nicole, who serves as the team's chief administrative officer.
Steve Wilks, who finished his tenure as interim coach with a 6-6 record, is expected to have a formal interview with Tepper this week, according to the Associated Press. Numerous players voiced their support for Wilks to get the job after Sunday's season-ending win over New Orleans. Wilks had the team within a game of the playoffs after taking the reins when Matt Rhule was fired following a 1-4 start.
Fitterer said Wilks did a "nice job," but didn't elaborate on how he or Tepper felt about Wilks' chances of getting the job. When Wilks was tabbed as the interim, Tepper said he'd be in consideration for the position if he did an "incredible" job. Wilks laughed it off during Monday's season-ending news conference.
"That's someone's opinion of what's incredible," he said. "In what I do around the house, my wife doesn't see that as incredible."
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