Panthers Will Reportedly Retain Head Coach Fox, GM Hurney For 2010

Cross Carolina off the list of potential landing spots for Bill Cowher. The Charlotte Observer reports that the Panthers will give head coach John Fox (along with his coaching staff) and GM Marty Hurney the chance to come back to the team in 2010. The Panthers will not extend Fox's contract, which means he will be a lame-duck next year, earning $6 million in the last year of his current deal.

Fox had been rumored to be on the way out in Charlotte given the team's disappointing play this season. The Observer speculates that the team's surprisingly strong play down the stretch, whipping both the Vikings and Giants in recent weeks, may have persuaded ownership to let Fox play out the final year of his contract. Another possibility The Oberver notes is that with the tough economic climate, the team may have simply decided they did not want to have to buyout Fox's contract.

Regardless, it seems Fox will be back patrolling the sidelines for Carolina next season, raising the question of who will be under center for the Panthers then. Fox has been notoriously faithful to incumbent Jake Delhomme, whose play has not recovered after last year's turnover-plagued debacle against the Cardinals. The Panthers have become more competitive with former backup Matt Moore starting, so it will be interesting to see whether they decide to go with Moore as their full-time starter, go back to Delhomme, or bring in/draft a new starter.