Panthers HC Matt Rhule has a fan in former NFL star turned ESPN analyst

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule has a fan in former NFL defensive tackle turned ESPN analyst Marcus Spears.

The Carolina Panthers seem to have the right man in charge with Matt Rhule. The progressive head coach has grown in stature with every passing year both in college and the professional ranks, which has seen him emerge as one of the league’s brightest young coaches in the process.

Rhule goes about his business impressively. It doesn’t take long to realize he is from the Bill Parcells coaching tree and he does not suffer fools gladly. But it’s clear he’s got the Panthers all pulling in the same direction as they look to make a return to the postseason discussion at the earliest possible opportunity.

The former Baylor man could have made a bigger impact from a record standpoint during his first year in the job had Carolina not lost an astonishing eight games by one score. So even though their 5-11 record would state otherwise, they might not be that far away.

One person who clearly loves the way Rhule has begun his time in Carolina is Marcus Spears, a former NFL defensive lineman who has gone on to be a hugely successful analyst over at ESPN.

Marcus Spears is a big fan of Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule.

In a tweet regarding a video of Rhule detailing his approach to recruitment in free agency and the NFL Draft, Spears outlined his admiration for the coach and has been watching his progress closely over the last five years.

"“One of my favorite coaches. I don’t know Matt Rhule at all personally but from afar for about five years I’ve watched him care about his players and also keep it simple by building winning cultures based on character, talent, skill, and most importantly development.”"

This is a view that is widely shared not only by Carolina’s loyal fanbase. But also the players he coaches, the staff working closely with him, and other people in key positions across the league.

To make this sort of impression in such a short space of time is further proof the Panthers made the right choice when they gave him a seven-year, $60 million deal to prise him away from the college ranks.

Much will depend on how the Panthers progress in Year 2 under Rhule. The team made some shrewd additions with the minimal financial resources at their disposal in free agency and this was further aided by a promising group of college players coming to the organization via the 2021 NFL Draft.

Simply put, Rhule has been a breath of fresh air for the Panthers.

Things were becoming increasingly stale under Ron Rivera which ultimately led to his firing, with the new appointment completely changing the intensity across the franchise and now has everybody pulling in the same direction.

Spears is not the only one paying Rhule some well-deserved compliments. Team owner David Tepper shelled out big bucks to land the coach for this exact reason and although Carolina now has the youngest roster in the NFL on average, they are going to be fun to watch once again.

A winning record could be a realistic objective for the Panthers next season if everything clicks into place. Rhule will be expecting much more, but it’s all going to come down to whether Sam Darnold can respond to the head coach in the same positive fashion most other players seem to.