OFFICIAL: Cardinals Name Steve Wilks Head Coach

Here’s hoping the Arizona Cardinals saved the best for last. Early Monday afternoon it became official the Cards, the last team in the NFL to fill their head coaching vacancy, have hired Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks as Bruce Arians’ predecessor. 

azcentral’s Kent Somers first reported the Cardinals and Wilks were “closing in on a deal” to make him the next Cardinals coach.

“You’re getting a solid guy, a real smart guy. He’s real impressive in-person. You can tell there’s a certain charisma about the guy.” @kentsomers on #SteveWilks w/ @bradcesmat #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/e3a4lzMpcU

— Sports360AZ (@Sports360AZ) January 22, 2018

Wilks spent one year as the Panthers’ d-coordinator and has been with Carolina for six years. Wilks interviewed for the second time with the Cardinals on Friday.

The Panthers gave up the seventh fewest yards in 2017 and were T-10^th in points allowed at 20.4 per contest.

The club announced that Wilks’ deal is for four years with a team option for a fifth year. He will be introduced at a noon press conference on Tuesday.