baker mayfield takes shot at steve wilks over their carolina days

[SOJA]

I like Baker and do actually root for him but this is some serious revisionist history going on

First off Wilks had nothing to do with him getting signed/cut. He was the interim coach, not GM, so he literally didn't play a role in either nor in his early benching. Second, Baker ASKED to be released and the Panthers did it. 

[Peppers90 NC]

On 9/21/2025 at 9:09 PM, frankw said:

Say what you want but you'll never see me glazing division rival QB's.

good for you. your fandum is admirable.

[ProcessBlue2]

Baker asked and Steve let him. He didn’t fit the scheme McAdoo and Wilks changed to.

HOWEVER- I have to say I get really tired of the Wilks fan crew on here. He’s from Charlotte and blah, blah, blah.

-The defense regressed in 2017 under him when McDermott left and he went to Arizona and failed miserably.

-Rivera could have brought him back as DC but didn’t and even chose to stick with Washington over bringing him back. So he went to Cleveland and failed there too.

-Everyone forgets how scared he coached. He was more conservative than Fox and Rivera.

-The defense actually got worse with him and Holcombe after Snow left. 
 

-He lost the game in Tampa for the division, punting in FG range, not going for it on 4th and short, not adjusting coverage and getting beat deep. OH, and let’s not forget signing Josh Norman but continuing play CJ Henderson and Keith Taylor despite them getting cooked all game.

-Right now his defense is statistically worse than Evero’s and Ulbrich had that group looking good last season.

Wilks wasn’t a great coach, Rhule was just that bad that somebody at Wilks level could win a few games with a few changes.

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:30 PM by ProcessBlue2

[X-Clown]

Wilks responded:

Asked Friday about the comment, Wilks started off with praise, saying he has "a lot of respect for Baker. [He's a] tremendous football player, and he's doing a hell of a job with those guys down there. So nothing really to say beyond that.

"I don't know how long you've been doing this," Wilks said to a reporter, "but I'm sure you're quite educated on it. I don't really think an interim coach has that much authority over personnel. If that's the case, I would've never gotten rid of our best player. Christian McCaffrey."

 

 

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46387838/jets-wilks-jabs-back-mayfield-cut-carolina-claim

[LinvilleGorge]

I mean, he's not wrong. Ain't no way an interim HC desperately trying to get the job long-term would've parted with CMC if he had any say in the matter.

[NorthTryon]

And that's the issue with Baker. He's just a blow hard and took a shot at a guy that wasn't even thinking about him. He has always had a bad attitude and when he played terribly nobody was trying to hear it. Now that he is in a weak division and inherited a championship roster, he can get his team to the divisional round every year. Todd Bowles needs to tell him to cut that crap out. He looked lame and petty. 

[TD alt]

On 9/21/2025 at 8:57 PM, X-Clown said:

3-0 with 3 games in a row that he led a comeback win in the last minute. They would have won by 2 scores if it weren’t for a blocked FG near the end. It’s not like he’s only beating scrub teams since he joined the Bucs, last year he was the only QB to beat the lions in the regular season, and he’s the only QB that’s beaten the eagles in the last 365 days with Jalen hurts as the starter. We’d think his confidence was awesome if he played for our team and was preforming like he was.

I like and appreciate Baker in a way, but...Fúck Baker!

[Panthercougar68]

Wilks getting Baker and Fitterer all at once lol

[therealmjl]

Lol Wilks got him. Nothing he can even say now. Move along Baker aka Mr Me against the world.

[PantherChris]

On 9/21/2025 at 9:09 PM, frankw said:

Say what you want but you'll never see me glazing division rival QB's.

Could also easily be seen as glazing a former PANTHERS QB who we couldn't utilize one of of two who left to go throw 35 tds 

[CPantherKing]

Wilks was very clear that he was an INTERIM HC and didn't have power over personnel. If he did, he wasn't getting rid of CMC.

Someone wanted to clear the way for his players.

[frankw]

9 hours ago, PantherChris said:

Could also easily be seen as glazing a former PANTHERS QB who we couldn't utilize one of of two who left to go throw 35 tds 

There were a number of factors but I think one that is overlooked is I don't think Baker was in a good head space here. He had just been rejected by the Browns and we were in disarray ourselves with Rhule soon to be on the way out and Fitterer was still our GM. It just wasn't mean to be.

But we've also seen brief glimpses of bad Baker. I mean he was god awful when we played them in Charlotte last year. Everyone is back to praising Darnold too. I don't think that's built to last.

[Waldo]

How about fug them both? Baker came in with an attitude problem. It wasn't a secret in Cleveland either. Wilks had a QB playing a DE on the scout team and hasn't stuck anywhere long so whatever is going on there it seems to be a thing. Right now Wilks is coaching a bottom 3rd D, one that was a top 3rd 2 years ago, so it's not even spilt milk people are crying over...not sure what it is but it isn't very good. I say that while still appreciating the post Rhule effort.

Fug them both and the fact this team still can't beat Baker in Tampa is the only thing in all of this worth being upset about IMO. 

[CPcavedweller]

On 9/21/2025 at 8:36 PM, frankw said:

I don't blame him for feeling that way about Wilks. Honestly he is overrated as a coach even though he is a man I respect.

Still. I mean you beat a Tyrod Taylor led Jets team by 2 points. Maybe flexing a bit early. He still seems to be as arrogant as he always was. The league could certainly humble him again. Who knows.

Wilks is overrated as a coach? He got one year in Arizona and his half year in Carolina was the best ball we’ve seen since what, 2017? We were Ickey Ekwonu meltdown away from the playoffs in 2022 despite everything that happened. 
 

We should have kept Wilks, re-signed Darnold, re-signed Foreman, drafted Kincaid, Torrance, and Charbonnet. Then, had we sucked again, we could have taken Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, or Drake Maye and kept DJ Moore.