5 critical observations from Panthers HC Matt Rhule’s 2021 season

What were some critical observations to take from Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule’s own performance during the 2021 season?

Heading into the 2021 season, the Carolina Panthers had plenty of reasons for optimism coming off of a surprisingly scrappy campaign. Despite missing the playoffs yet again, the team played tough and appeared to be well-coached throughout, which left many wondering what could be accomplished moving forward.

Teddy Bridgewater was traded to the Denver Broncos after a middling season and Carolina hoped to have found their quarterback of the future in Sam Darnold after sacrificing three draft selections to the New York Jets.

Not only did the team add Darnold but they were able to finally enter a season with Christian McCaffrey healthy. With D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson added in the Panthers felt they had a team that could become a scrappy wildcard contender.

After a quick 3-0 start the Panthers felt like a trendy wildcard pick and a fun contender headed into the quarter pole. From there, the season quickly went downhill in nearly every aspect as Carolina finished last in their division.

Coming in behind even the struggling Atlanta Falcons or the quarterback-less New Orleans Saints this year was a complete failure for the Panthers. One in which head coach Matt Rhule managed to survive despite signifiant pressure from those outside the organization.

How much of the mess was Rhule‘s fault and what did we learn about the head coach this season? Here are five critical observations from the former Baylor maan’s own performance in 2021.