SEPTEMBER 25: Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who cites sources informed of the Panthers’ thinking, team owner David Tepper is planning to remain patient with Rhule, and no coaching change is imminent at this time. The fight and effort that Rhule’s charges have displayed is working in his favor, although Rapoport is clear that improvement will need to happen sooner rather than later in order for Rhule to remain in his post.
Rhule is 10-25 as an NFL head coach, and under his watch, the Panthers are 1-25 in games in which they allow 17 or more points, the worst mark in the league since Rhule was hired in 2020.
SEPTEMBER 24: The 2022 season always seemed like it was going to be a make-or-break year for Panthers head coach Matt Rhule. Following an 0-2 start to the season, some league sources already believe the coach will be ousted sooner than later. Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post opines that Rhule will be coaching college football by the start of the 2023 season.
Further, multiple agents pointed to the Panthers as the first franchise to have a coaching vacancy this season, with some already considering which of their clients would be best for the gig. Meanwhile, “two high-ranking NFL officials” don’t think Rhule will be sticking around for much longer; one estimated that the coach would need an insane winning streak to keep his job, while another guessed that Rhule will be canned before the Panthers’ Week 13 bye.
Of course, this isn’t all that shocking considering Carolina’s lack of success with Rhule at the helm. After going 5-11 during his first season as head coach, the Panthers went 5-12 in 2021. Last year’s iteration of the team was 5-5 in mid-November, but the Panthers closed out the campaign with a seven-game losing streak. Tack on the team’s two losses this season, and it’s been a bit since the Panthers earned a W, and that’s already led to whisper of Rhule’s demise.
Rhule got his first head coaching opportunity at Temple in Philadelphia, where he had spent years as an assistant under Al Golden. He took his first Power 5 opportunity as the head coach at Baylor, following the scandal that led to Art Briles‘s dismissal. He took the Bears from 1-11 in his first season to 11-3 in his third season and rode that success straight to the NFL.
A handful of league sources told La Canfora that Rhule was ready to jump at the LSU gig when it opened up about a year ago. Even if the coach can’t secure a job of “that magnitude,” the reporter notes that Rhule’s name was quickly tossed around as a candidate for the Nebraska job following Scott Frost’s dismissal. La Canfora also expects Rhule to continually be connected to college vacancies over the coming weeks, and if the Panthers continue to struggle, it might not take a whole lot for him to jump ship…and it doesn’t sound like anyone from the Panthers organization would stop him.
Zero sympathy for Rhule. Baylor rolled out the red carpet for him and gave him a massive extension that he agreed to with a bunch of rhetoric that he and his family were committed to staying for the long term. Whatever he wanted in terms of luxuries, power, coaching staff, etc. he got … all the while, constantly interviewing other places and looking for the next stepping stone. Now that the luster is gone of Rhule in the NFL, I’d have to think he will have to go to a college rebuilding program or take an asst coordinator position in the pros. Oh Matty, you never knew how good you had it.
Baylor got lucky he left. They have a much better coach now.
I think he will be Auburn’s next head coach
Latest update: Still circling the drain.
He’ll be gone before Week 6. His roster hasn’t been all that great during his tenure but there has been no improvement and the franchise doesn’t look like it’s going to turn it around anytime soon… Good riddance
I think he makes it through week 12 because the Panthers have a late bye week, and I can’t imagine they want to fire him. I seriously doubt he lasts the season though.
Matt won’t care, he’ll get all 7 years of his Carolina deal, plus a new college contract. He’ll be fine.
The GM needs to go as well. Has the guy ever watched anyone play QB before? Darnold, Mayfield, or Corral? What is he thinking, it’s Madden and he can turn around any QB w/ 70-75 rating?
The real question would be which coach has the temperament to withstand working with David Tepper. Many times we understate the value of having a solid environment for a team, but the culture is the most important element for surviving losing or tough times during a rebuild. The problem with Carolina is the same as it has been since Rhule was hired, and that is this question: Who are the Carolina Panthers? What’s their identity?
You can lose with a bad roster for a few years during a rebuild. But if you haven’t begun to establish a team identity, you’ve failed completely. I don’t blame Rhule for all of this, however, because he has a VERY active owner who really has used him as a sock puppet since he was hired. Neither Rhule nor Fitterer really run that team. Tepper does. Unless Tepper is willing to back down and let his next coach take control over the team, the Panthers will likely be doing this all over again in a few years’ time.
The Panthers have gone four straight drafts without choosing a playmaker with their first pick – and now flounder near the bottom of the league in offensive output.
He was hoping Mayfield would save his job? Good luck with that. Look how much better Brissett is playing with Cleveland then Mayfield did.
To be fair, not to even remotely imply Mayfield is the answer, Brissett has had a lot more time with Cleveland.
That’s also not meant to be my patience with Rhule. His play calling has been horrendous since Day One
I have problem acknowledging being too lenient after today’s game. Baker is bad
To be fair, Carolina is pretty bad all around. I’m not sure that Brissett has the same success subbing for the Panthers that he has for Cleveland.
Exactly. Baker was injured last year but he was the reason the Browns didn’t make the playoffs. That team has enough talent that average quarterback play should get them on the verge of the playoffs
Why would he want to go to Nebraska? They will no longer be getting any top recruit’s. Who wants to live in Lincoln Nebraska, especially during the winter. The only folks who think Nebraska is a National Power is Nebraska Fans. They have moved onto just another school. The winning and power for them is OVER
These days Nebraska is a volleyball school.
Well, to be fair, being out of the limelight would probably be a welcome prospect for Rhule after his NFL run. Nebraska is a Power 5 school that draw some recognition if he were to turn it around, but not so successful that Rhule would be under a microscope.
I don’t believe that it happens, and I’m not predicting it, but I see the case that could be made for Rhule picking Nebraska. The real question is whether or not universities will want him as badly after his failure in Carolina.
Rhule is the short-term problem, but Tepper is the bigger issue. He seems to think he’s another Jerrah. At least Jerrah played the game and had some success running a team before his ego got the best of him.
Maybe Jerry can connive David into a foot rub and take over the team again.
looks like he’s bout to join alabama’s head coach rehabilitation program