CHARLOTTE, N.C. — What a difference a year makes.
One year ago, Steve Wilks was among the finalists to be the Carolina Panthers head coach following the firing of Matt Rhule. Now, the Charlotte native is on the verge of his first NFL championship as a member of the San Francisco 49ers' coaching staff.
Wilks, who graduated from West Charlotte High School and Appalachian State before launching a career at Johnson C. Smith in 1995, led the Panthers to a 6-6 record that had Carolina in the hunt for a division championship.
He was ultimately passed over by David Tepper for Frank Reich. Wilks admitted he was "disappointed but not defeated" by Tepper's choice and soon landed with the 49ers as Kyle Shanahan's defensive coordinator.
Several players campaigned for Wilks to get the job, pointing to his galvanizing presence in the locker room that turned a seemingly aimless team into a playoff contender in no time. Reich, meanwhile, was fired after just 11 games as the Panthers yet again spiraled out of control under Tepper's watch.
Wilks hasn't addressed the issue since, but a post on X Sunday night may have given us a glimpse into his thoughts on not getting a promotion in his hometown.
"As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being redirected to something better," Wilks posted with a reference to Psalm 100:5.
Wilks isn't the only 49er with Charlotte ties playing in the big game. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has been a sensation for San Francisco since being traded in 2023. McCaffrey, who recently listed his Lake Norman mansion for sale, scored two touchdowns in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, including a game-tying score in the third quarter.
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