David Tepper was desperate for the Carolina Panthers to make a statement after firing then-head coach Ron Rivera, so much so that he gave Matt Rhule control over the entire football operation when it looked like he was going to the New York Giants.
Rhule's time in Carolina was an unmitigated disaster. He was a highly thought of college coach, but these methods didn't work in the NFL. Players didn't respond to his techniques, and the Panthers descended to rock bottom under his leadership. Tepper should have pulled the plug long before the axe came after five weeks of the 2022 season, but he got there in the end.
And now, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are finally figuring out what Panthers fans have known forever.
Carolina Panthers are all too familiar with Matt Rhule's coaching flaws
The college program thought they'd pulled off a coup by hiring Rhule. His work at Baylor and Temple drew praise, and he was expected to be just as successful in a larger operation with lofty ambitions to get back into the playoff picture. When speculation about switching to Penn State, his alma mater, reportedly surfaced, the coach even received a new extension.
Things are going as expected. Rhule's squad is 7-5 this season. They are 0-8 against ranked teams. The Cornhuskers are 0-3 against bitter rival Iowa under his leadership, following their embarrassing 40-16 capitulation to the Hawkeyes on Black Friday.
With questions about star quarterback Dylan Raiola entering the transfer portal to boost his chances of being a high draft pick, Rhule is weathering a fierce storm. And for all his big talk and catchy slogans, there isn't much substance to back it up on the field.
Sound familiar?
The Panthers were right to move on from Rhule. They should have pulled the trigger on his departure long before it came. One only has to look at the immediate improvements under interim head coach Steve Wilks to see who the problem was. And after so long in the proverbial wilderness, Carolina is finally on the correct path to prosperity with general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales leading the charge.
As for Rhule? Nebraska extended him until 2032, likely with a significant pay rise attached. That gives him seven years to turn things around, which brings back memories of his infamous speech to the media, comparing his Panthers' project to Jay-Z's journey to superstardom. And even if the Cornhuskers remove him from the equation at some stage, all his newly acquired money is guaranteed.
The trajectory is no longer pointing up. And fans are starting to turn on Rhule after once labeling him a savior.