Report: Panthers Violated NFL Rules in HC Search over Inclusive Hiring Training

As of earlier this week, the Carolina Panthers were reportedly in violation of NFL rules in relation to their head coaching search.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the NFL requires that all members of a team's head coaching search committee must complete mandatory inclusive hiring training before the search begins. Nicole Tepper, who is Chief Administrative Officer of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and wife of Panthers owner David Tepper, is part of the team's search committee and had reportedly not completed the training as of Tuesday night.

Despite that, the Panthers have already interviewed five head coaching candidates as they attempt to replace the fired Matt Rhule.

A Panthers spokesperson told Jones that Tepper had completed the training before interviews began, but multiple sources have told Jones that isn't true.

While the NFL has not commented publicly on whether the Panthers violated league rules, NFL SVP and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Jonathan Beane said the following about the training process: "The inclusive hiring training is a key element of our efforts to foster an equitable hiring process. Any suggestion that this mandatory requirement was not met by applicable clubs will be addressed and corrected immediately."

Per Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, the Panthers either have interviewed or plan to interview six different candidates in their coaching search.

The list includes Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks, former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

Wilks and Caldwell, who are Black, are the only minority candidates among those who the Panthers are known to have interest in.

The Panthers hired Rhule as head coach prior to the 2020 season, but after posting an 11-27 record in parts of three seasons, including a 1-4 mark this season, he was fired.

Wilks took over on an interim basis and helped the team improve significantly, leading them to a 6-6 record and nearly getting them into the playoffs.

Prior to this season, Wilks' only head coaching experience was as a one-and-done with the Arizona Cardinals, as he was fired after going 3-13 in 2018.

As things stand, the Panthers are one of only five NFL teams with a head coaching vacancy.