Carolina Panthers: 4 big takeaways from Matt Rhule’s virtual presser
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers: Takeaway No. 1 – Matt Rhule’s willingness to listen
Given the current situation across the country, Matt Rhule has clearly made it a priority to listen. This has been especially evident with members of the current roster with the Carolina Panthers over the last week.
The new man at the helm came across as very understanding during the presser. Rhule was also keen to hold a team meeting surrounding the topic and stressed the necessity of respecting the voice of those players that have presented strong feelings over social media channels and during protests.
This sort of thing will undoubtedly command instant respect. It is easy for teams and coaches to hide in the wake of such a subject. But Rhule has stood up to be counted and this will go down well with his players.
"“I just addressed the team briefly and said I didn’t feel like now was the time to get up there and start laughing. I thought it was important also to talk about the issues. When I say talk with them, it’s not my job to tell other people how to feel. I think what I’ve done is just said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m going to do. This is how I feel. I want you guys all to know that I respect your voice’.”"
In a roundabout way, it has also given the head coach a greater perspective of just what characters he will be working with during the season. Rhule admitted he has only met 20 of the current roster in person due to social distancing measures. So it would have told him a great deal about their underlying issues, passions, and how they react to adversity.
This could bode very well for Rhule and the Panthers when they eventually return to the field during training camp.