There is a world where the Carolina Panthers head coach would have been current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. 

Wilks served as the interim head coach after David Tepper fired Matt Rhule midway through the 2022 season. Wilks coached the Panthers to one game of the playoffs before Tepper kicked him to the curb for Frank Reich, who didn't even make it a full season in Charlotte. 

Now, after the Niners came from behind against the Detroit Lions, Wilks had one more subtle jab at the Panthers left in his system. 

"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 re-directed to something better," Wilks' post on X reads. 

#Psalm100:5 pic.twitter.com/wvQnZPjO8x

— Steve Wilks (@ScoreonD) January 29, 2024

Wilks undoubtedly lucked out by missing out on the Panthers head coaching job. While San Francisco is playing for a championship, the Panthers won two games after trading the house for Bryce Young, who underwhelmed greatly in his rookie season. 

Ahead of Wilks now is an opportunity at NFL immortality. Meanwhile, the Panthers are looking at another NFL draft, hoping to strike gold where they haven't before. 

Wilks, despite his success, still had one more jab left in the bank. And frankly, the Panthers deserve it. 

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