Yes or No- Should John Fox be fired if we go less than 9-7?

[CarolinaSock]

I want him gone regardless of the record at the end of the season. We are outcoached more often then not, sometimes even in wins. We have some of the most vanilla schemes ever and rely solely on our talent to execute to perfection. How often do you see an offense or defense just look lost against us? I see it all the time in other games or even our own team looking lost, but our opponents? Nope, don't see it.

[frash.exe]

If we can't win one playoff game this year he should go

he doesn't have to win the division

he could go 9-7 and win a playoff game and be fine

but if he can't do that he should go

I also should add that if it's apparent that he's lost the team, and the players don't have much faith left in him, then all bets are off

[Mr. Scot]

I'm also in the category that the record alone isn't enough for me to make a judgment.

[Gman was right]

Fire him anyway. Even if we win the super bowl.

[goodlay]

I don't think this team believes in Fox at all, because talent wise I don't think we are as bad as our stats say. Yeah, Fox can take a 1-15 franchise to 8-8, but he'll never take the Panthers, or any team for that matter, to that elite level. Also, I love the mentality of 7-9 is acceptable, way to strive for greatness. Or, "Well, we've never had back to back winning seasons so it's okay".

We'll never be an elite team or win a championship with Fox as coach, simple as that. Yeah, we may show glimpses of greatness ala last year, but we are unable to be consistent for whatever reason.

[KatsAzz]

Maybe firing Fox in mid season would be a good idea. This way, some coach sitting around looking for a job could come in and let the existing coaching staff take on more responsibility for game planning. This way, we find out which of the remaining coaches we keep next year based on their performance for the rest of this season.

I don't think that firing Fox now will make the difference in whether we make the playoffs or not this year, but if we are going to make the playoffs in the future, he has to go.

Dan Henning was one of brighter OC's in the NFL and a very creative play caller. Here in Carolina, we nearly ran him out of town covered in tar and feathers. He goes to Miami and all of a sudden he is a genius again. We nearly strung up Trgovac on the tallest yardarm available because of what he did with Del Rio's defense. Henning was replaced by Davidson, who really was underqualified to be an OC. Trgovac was replaced by Ron Meeks who was under constant attack by the Indy fans for his problems there. What does all of this mean? To me, it means that nothing will change until Fox is gone because he is the head man and the buck stops there.

[weyco2000]

9-7 record wont get you in to the playoffs, at least 10-6. He has gambled our future and lost. The problem for the next staff is draft picks and re-signing some key components in the next couple of years. Damn I miss Bill Polian!

[Jangler]

He should not be fired,he's a good coach with a team thats not playing well.

QF dee da dee

yes. absolutely. he needs to have a winning season at the very minimum to keep his job.

he can't pull that off this year he's gone.

try to find someone who can pull together two winning seasons in a row and make us consistently winners. we have had long enough to find out what he is capable of.

i don't want to see us be like the titans and keep holding on to that "beloved" HC for 16 years who is unable to make his team a winning team very often. the titans are a bad model to follow as far as coaching is concerned.

That is such BS. I'm so sick of people saying some of these guys are "good coaches with a team that isn't playing well."

It is their freaking JOB to get them to play well. They are the coach it is what they are paid ridiculous amounts of money to do.

Being an NFL head coach is a prestigious job. It isn't a job where you say "well you tried hard and you're a good coach so I'll give you a second chance because you're team underachieved." This is a job where if you don't get results then your ass gets canned.

A classic example of this and the one that I like to reference in the John Fox situation is the Schottenheimer Chargers had probably the most talented team in the league and went 14-2. They lost in the first round of the playoffs and instead of the GM saying "Well Marty you tried hard and just had a bad game" he said "Marty your team didn't get up for this game and we need someone that can get them to play well in the playoffs." Now the decision that they made afterward to hire Norv Turner is was terrible but was completely unrelated to the decision to fire Marty.

Lets not keep making excuses for John Fox because he is a good coach. That should not be the issue. The issue should be is he the best coach for the Panthers? The answer to me is unequivocally NO. Not when you have guys like Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Leslie Frazier, Sean McDermott, Mike Holmgren, and Mike Shanahan out there probably looking for the right HC job.

QFT

I think the team is playing pretty good in spite of the coaching. So that says a lot about the team, and not much for the coaches....IMHFO!

[2plankingpanther]

if he makes it to 7-9 or 8-8 with Jake at QB he should keep his job. Especially with the defense improving its play.

If he finishes 6-10 or worse...he should go IMO

This!