4 coaching changes the Carolina Panthers could make in 2022
By Luke Gray
Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers HC
Well, we all knew this one was coming.
Head coach Matt Rhule is not the man who should be leading the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He simply hasn’t shown enough in his 28 games of coaching the team to prove that.
Rhule has had immense success at the collegiate level completely transforming the programs at Baylor and Temple. However, it’s clear he has found the step up to the pros a different animal.
Commanding the respect of a group of college players compared to a locker room of NFL professionals is something Rhule can’t seem to do.
It’s clear from the play of the Panthers in key games this season that Rhule does not command the respect of his team. Week after week we’ve seen Carolina be totally outcoached by whoever is on the opposite sideline.
Carolina seems on a weekly basis to be coming into games totally underprepared which is something that simply falls on the head coach, It’s a wonder what the team actually does in practice during the week judging by performances on the field.
If the Panthers were still in the stages of a rebuild, Rhule would have some sway. But midseason moves proved Carolina was in a win-now mentality, and winning is something they’ve done little of lately.
There’s also the issue Rhule doesn’t really come across as a likeable character.
This is petty I know, but something that’s important to fans and players. Whether it’s blaming the defense for a loss they had no fault in or saying you want to establish the run and not doing so.
Rhule set his stool out with Panthers fans early in 2020 when he said he “couldn’t wait” to work with Cam Newton shortly before the quarterback was cut. The start of a concerning trend.
Lincoln Riley is heading to coach USC – leaving the position at the Oklahoma Sooners available. Earlier in the season, Rhule failed to commit to his long-term future in the NFL, so don’t be surprised to see him move back to the collegiate level.