Everyone was saying it would not be long, and he would be LONG GONE, and Matt Rhule is out as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers….We were saying it here too, and here you go with the official news, from the Carolina Panthers website…..
from www.panthers.com:
CHARLOTTE — The Panthers on Monday parted ways with head coach Matt Rhule, after the team fell to 1-4 with a home loss to San Francisco.
He leaves with an 11-27 record (.289 winning percentage).
The 47-year-old Rhule had generally turned his college teams at Temple and Baylor around in his third season, but that bounce hadn’t happened here so far.
He will be replaced on an interim basis by defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach Steve Wilks. The 53-year-old Wilks spent one year as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, and six years on the Panthers staff from 2012-17.
Also coming in from Larry Brown Sports, and YardBarker.com:
Panthers fire head coach Matt Rhule
from Larry Brown Sports with Steve DelVecchio, and from www.yardbarker.com:
The Carolina Panthers have made a significant change in the wake of their loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Matt Rhule has been fired as the head coach of the Panthers, according to a press release from the team. Steve Wilks, who was previously Carolina’s defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach, will take over as interim head coach.
Rhule finishes with a record of 11-27 in two-plus seasons with the Panthers. He landed the job after leading a major turnaround at Baylor. Rhule was hired as the head coach at Baylor following a successful tenure at Temple. The Bears went 1-11 in his first season but were 11-3 in his third season in 2019 and lost in the Sugar Bowl.
Should he choose to go back to the collegiate level, Rhule will likely be viewed as a top candidate for several openings.
Rhule won just four games in each of his first two seasons in Carolina. The Panthers traded for Baker Mayfield this past offseason, but that move did not pay off. Rhule seemed to point the finger at Mayfield recently for the Panthers’ struggles.
A report on Sunday claimed Rhule had been at odds with a key member of his staff. The timing of Rhule being fired and that report surfacing is almost certainly not a coincidence.
‘Increasing communication issues’ between Panthers HC Matt Rhule and OC Ben McAdoo prior the the Matt Rhule firing:
from Pro Football Rumors, with Ben Levine, and posted most recently at YardBarker.com
The Panthers continue to struggle, and we’re now learning of some inner turmoil within the locker room. League sources tell Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com that “there have been increasing communication issues” between head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.
Considering the Panthers’ offensive struggles, it’s not a surprise that eyes have shifted to McAdoo. The former Giants head coach joined Carolina’s staff this offseason as offensive coordinator, replacing Joe Brady. The team’s QB situation was uncertain through much of the offseason, with the organization ultimately settling on Baker Mayfield to take over for Sam Darnold under center. Despite the underwhelming options at quarterback, the Panthers still had some top playmakers in running back Christian McCaffrey and wideout DJ Moore.
Well, things haven’t necessarily gone as planned. Through four weeks, the Panthers rank last in the NFL in plays per game (53.5) and third-down conversion rate (25.5 percent), two stats that don’t put the coaching staff in the best light. So, while McAdoo “attempts to direct an offense that is struggling” and “is working to fix what appears to be a dire situation,” he’s apparently receiving conflicting information or directives from his head coach.
“Well, when you look at it, I was brought in here to make an impact, right? And it hasn’t happened yet,” McAdoo said recently (via Wilson). “Now, that doesn’t mean we’re discouraged. We’re four games in, right? So, we got another game this week, and we’re excited at the opportunity we have this week, and we have a tremendous opponent coming in here this week.”
Things aren’t going to get easier for the Panthers this weekend, as the team faces off against a 49ers defense that’s allowed the fewest points per game this season.