Should the Panthers Head Coach Search Slowik Down?

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While the majority of the Panthers fanbase debates about what candidate they think the team is missing out on or what already interviewed candidate is the right choice. One name should stand head and shoulders above the rest. Bobby Slowik. Slowik is the current offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans. What he and CJ Stroud have done is nothing short of extraordinary. Some likely claim this all comes down to Stroud and his talents. That's certainly another debate Panther fans are having as well. However, what needs to be put up for debate is just how enamored with Bryce Young, Slowik, and others on that staff were less than 10 months ago. It's no secret that the Texans had their own plans to move up to #1. So, what's the story on Slowik? Where has he been, and what has he done to become so desirable?

Coordinators often get to take large swaths of team staff with them when getting a head coaching gig. This makes Slowik all the more appealing. While he's got the Texans' offense humming along, he also has commensurate experience on the defensive side of the ball. For starters, he was a defensive assistant under Mike Shanahan from 2011 to 2013 with the then-Washington Redskins. A stint with a well-known sports analytic company, Pro Football Focus, from 2014 through 2016 as a senior analyst would be Slowik's next stop. His return to the NFL saw him land in San Francisco as a defensive quality control coach for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. 2019 would see Slowik move to the other side of the ball to become an offensive assistant, answering directly to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Two years later, he was promoted to offensive passing game specialist, and in 2022, he was again promoted to offensive passing game coordinator. Quickly becoming another in-demand product of the Shanahan coaching tree, 2023 saw him land as the OC in Houston as Demeco Ryans, former 49ers DC, landed the head coaching job.

The year one results for Slowik as OC are awe-inspiring. The Texans offense and quarterback CJ Stroud have already made the playoffs and won a game. In year one. With a team that was, to be nice, terrible the last two seasons. Stroud was a second choice for this staff. So what could they do with Young? Yes, Carolina has some serious roster issues to address. But if Houston can get turned around so quickly, why not the Panthers? The Texans are a case study of fixing a team with the right coaching. Their offensive line was supposed to be terrible, yet Stroud has on average 2.85 seconds to throw, 3rd in the NFL. The receiving corps was supposed to be average at best, but Nico Collins is the 3rd ranked WR in the league. And Tank Dell was on a steamroller pace with over 700 yards and 7 touchdowns before hitting IR. To credit only the QB for the offensive turnaround borders on ignorance or stupidity. Pick whichever you like. This man understands how to get the most out of the personnel that he has, and the proof is on the field.

Still not convinced? Bear this in mind: Slowik will be able to bring just about whomever from the current staff he wants. Oh, and the Texans' defense was the 10th ranked in the regular season, holding opponents to an average of 20.3 points. So, the defensive staff he will likely be using to fill out his own staff isn't one of mediocrity. Slowik would bring plenty of experience with him on both sides of the field. Never mind the reality of just how good the Shanahan coaching tree has been so far. What Panthers fan wouldn't want this type of staff in Charlotte? Given the fact that the Panthers have already completed a virtual interview with Slowik, there is hope. Tepper has made some poor choices early on in his ownership tenure, but he has a chance to right nearly all of those wrongs. Bring Slowik to Carolina and get #1 back in the building.

-Josh From Mass