4 Carolina Panthers fighting for their futures down the 2021 stretch
By Dean Jones
Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers HC
Patience is wearing thin regarding Matt Rhule and his ability to lead the Carolina Panthers back to prominence. For some, it’s already past the point of no return.
The former Baylor man is now firmly on the hot seat with four games remaining of his second season at the helm. Not exactly something team owner David Tepper envisaged when he gave Rhule a seven-year, $60 million deal to keep him from the New York Giants.
Building programs from the bottom up is the reason Rhule got the job in the first place. But poor preparation, questionable personnel moves, and a revolving door at the quarterback position are not the way to build a winning NFL franchise.
Rhule does have a history of making substantial strides in Year 3 of his tenure. But that was in college and this is a completely different ball game.
If the Panthers somehow come out of their stretch run with credit, then it wouldn’t be a shock if Rhule stuck around. However, any further regression – which is more likely – could see Tepper pull the plug on what would undoubtedly be an expensive mistake.
The pressure is well and truly on. Only Rhule and his players know whether or not they can dig deep in an attempt to salvage something from the season.