How will Ben McAdoo’s time with the Panthers be remembered?

How will former offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo’s time with the Carolina Panthers be remembered?

Once Matt Rhule was fired and Steve Wilks didn’t become permanent head coach, it was evident that Ben McAdoo‘s time with the Carolina Panthers would be short-lived. The offensive coordinator just couldn’t get things going early on and although things improved thanks to a strong running game, the franchise fell short en route to yet another losing season.

McAdoo’s offensive scheme was often predictable and devoid of any real invention. Whether this had something to do with Rhule’s overbearing methods or not is unclear, but this was not the rockstar hire team owner David Tepper wanted upon examining the full body of work.

With the Panthers going with an offensive-minded coach for the first time in franchise history, it was another nail in McAdoo’s coffin. Something that was all but confirmed by Will Kunkel of FOX Charlotte, who stated a source divulged what most already knew about the coordinator’s future in Carolina.

Kunkel stated that McAdoo wouldn’t be brought back. He’s been off the team website from the moment Reich was hired, but who comes in as his replacement is still undecided.

Ben McAdoo had his work cut out with the Carolina Panthers

Factoring everything into the equation, McAdoo had his work cut out immediately. Working with Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold – two quarterbacks he was critical of during their pre-draft assessments – wasn’t ideal and for whatever reason, the coach just couldn’t mesh well enough with either when push came to shove.

McAdoo did a decent job of insulating Darnold behind a superb running attack and an offensive line that performed well above expectations. But when the time came for the signal-caller to win a game, he failed to meet even modest targets.

The former New York Giants head coach banged the table hard for Matt Corral, who the Panthers moved up to acquire at No. 94 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the player and the coach, the rookie suffered a serious foot injury in the preseason and missed the entire campaign.

It wasn’t all bad from McAdoo’s perspective. His play-calling drew widespread plaudits during Carolina’s dominant win over the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve and working in legitimate cohesion with Wilks did bring about an upturn in efficiency.

What comes next for McAdoo is unclear. It’s unlikely he’ll get a coordinator position again one suspects, but there’s nothing to suggest he cannot continue his work as an offensive consultant or quarterbacks coach if the right opportunity comes along.

His time in Carolina won’t be remembered with any great fondness. McAdoo wasn’t going to turn down a play-calling gig after how things ended in New York, but hitching his wagon to Rhule quickly became a recipe for disaster and the Panthers had no alternative other than to go in a different direction.

Everyone associated with the franchise can now look forward with positive thoughts. Reich’s made a strong start to molding a staff capable of making immediate improvements, with the addition of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero from the Denver Broncos seen as a huge coup.

There are a lot of pieces left for Reich to put in place. And that’s not counting the crucial playing personnel decisions awaiting those in power before OTAs arrive.

McAdoo won’t be around to assist, which isn’t a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination.