John Fox said this week Delhomme continues to be the best quarterback on his team. That is a sad statement on football in Charlotte, if it is true. It also explains the offensive game plan he has used in recent weeks. He at least has a reason for his madness. Maybe his quarterback isn’t the only one who needs replacement.
There comes a time in most great coaching relationships when separation is inevitable. It happened in recent years with Joe Torre and the Yankees. It happened to North Carolina’s Dean Smith when he knew he had to leave the team that made him a legend.
It is now happening with Coach Fox, though he is not in the same league with Torre or Smith.
There is no doubt Fox is going to go down in Panthers history. He led the team to a Super Bowl after all. He came within seconds of beating the Patriots in the big game in one of the greatest fourth quarter performances in Super Bowl history.
Those days are in the past. It is time for him to step aside to make room for the next step in the Panthers history. He should do so with dignity before the team is forced to embarrass him with a dismissal. That would be a sad end to what has been a relatively happy story.
The Delhomme situation is complicated. There may or may not be anyone better, but it is hard to imagine anyone worse. The best offense for the Panthers this year has been when Delhomme hands the ball off instead of passing it. When a ball leaves his hand in the air, it seems just as likely to end up in the hands of a defensive back as it does in those of a Panthers receiver. He has the not-so-great distinction of being the most intercepted quarterback in the league this year. He will not want to remember that when the season is over. Delhomme’s best days are behind him, and it is time the Panthers' organization deals with the reality. That goes all the way to the general manager’s office, where they need to find a draft choice to fill the shoes of the team leader.
All the blame for a disappointing season so far can’t go on the quarterback. Julius Peppers has hardly lived up to his franchise player status. Also,it was a fumbled punt last week that denied the Panthers a shot at a come back.
One or both of those situations needs to be addressed so the team can move forward