5 dream head coaching hires if the Panthers remove Matt Rhule
By Dean Jones
Mike Tomlin
We are talking about dream head coaching candidates here, right?
Mike Tomlin’s status around the league is legendary. He is a player’s coach that commands instant respect, bringing around a substantial amount since taking charge of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, there might be the slightest of openings for the Carolina Panthers to go big game hunting in the pursuit of a replacement for Matt Rhule if he is removed from his duties. With Ben Roethlisberger seemingly heading towards retirement after a glittering career, a mini-rebuild could be on the cards in Pittsburgh and if the respected figure was ever going to walk away, it would be now.
If team owner David Tepper is so intent on giving up future first-round picks for someone like Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, then why not make a bold move for Tomlin instead?
One obvious complication is whether Tomlin would even entertain this notion. Money clearly doesn’t motivate him judging by his comments after being linked with college jobs, so he’d need a serious amount of convincing, one suspects.
It’s also worth remembering that Tepper was reportedly part of a minority ownership group that didn’t want Tomlin extended, according to Pro Football Talk. Something that won’t have gone unnoticed by the coach.