Making a case for John Fox

By Connor Byrne  |   Monday, July 24, 2006  |  Comments( 2 )

Carolina Panthers
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In a column last Tuesday ranking the NFL's current head coaches, the Carolina Panthers' John Fox was placed 10th on the list. Of all the tough decisions yours truly had to make in compiling such a piece, placing Fox so low has been the one move that's eaten at me since it happened.

Over the weekend, as I watched the British Open, I found myself thinking more of Fox than legendary golfer Tiger Woods, who won his 11th major championship - seven behind all-time leader Jack Nicklaus, for those keeping track. The fact that Fox barely cracked the top 10 even bothered me while watching golf -- a whimsical sport completely opposite of football.

Thus, the idea of this manifesto is to retract Fox's ranking, and place him higher on the list. To some of the angry Carolina fans who sent emails over the last week, this is certainly a step in the right direction.

Since taking the reins in Charlotte back in 2002, Fox has turned an embarrassing franchise into a force difficult to reckon with. Former head coach George Seifert was relieved of his duties after a humiliating one-win season in 2001, opening the door for Fox, a former renowned defensive wiz for the New York Giants.

In '02, Fox made the Panthers' fans into believers, guiding the team to a surprising but respectable 7-9 mark. The year after, the mild-mannered leader won the NFC title with Carolina, then lost a heartbreaking Super Bowl XXXVIII by a score of 32-29 to the New England Patriots' dynasty.

The 2004 season was a complete letdown for Fox, who watched key players like wide receiver Steve Smith, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and others drop like flies to various injuries, but he still rallied his troops to another 7-9 record. Last season, with almost everyone back at full strength, Fox took his team to yet another NFC Championship Game, only to lose, 34-14, to the Seattle Seahawks.

Entering the 2006 season, the Carolina Panthers are among a handful of teams with a truly legitimate chance to hoist Vince Lombardi's trophy in February. And if the head coach who's 41-30 (including playoffs) in his young career has anything to do with it, the Panthers will begin their reign over the rest of the league in less than two months.

In order to accommodate Fox higher on the head coach power rankings, other names ahead of him will have to be shifted to lower positions. Those coaches include the likes of Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy, Andy Reid and Jon Gruden. Each of those five has had their fun in the past, but I'd take Fox over all of them if I was starting a franchise.

Hence, I present the new power 10:

1.) Joe Gibbs

2.) Bill Belichick

3.) Bill Cowher

4.) Mike Shanahan

5.) John Fox

6.) Bill Parcells

7.) Mike Holmgren

8.) Tony Dungy

9.) Andy Reid

10.) Jon Gruden

--Connor J. Byrne can be reached at cbyrne@realfootball365.com

Get more on John Fox and other head coaches at Realfootball365.com
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