It all finally caught up to Matt Rhule. Just perhaps a bit later than we expected.
Rhule — who was hired to coach the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2020 season — was fired Monday, less than 24 hours after Carolina’s 37-15 loss to San Francisco at home Sunday.
The writing was on the wall, or rather in the stands, Sunday, as Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte was filled with mostly 49ers fans. Seven years removed from a Super Bowl run and a handful of seasons from seeing their home sellout streak come to an end, the Panthers’ home atmosphere became a shell of its former self in the final few weeks of Rhule’s tenure.
But where do owner David Tepper and the Panthers go from here? Whatever the next course of action, it will be the first in a long line of moves that will be necessary to return Carolina to its former glory as a contender in the NFC.
One key for the Panthers will be nailing their next coaching hire.
Carolina’s interim head coach is Steve Wilks, the team’s former defensive coordinator who briefly served as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals back in 2018. Wilks is a favorite with players and is known as a strong defensive mind, but he likely won’t be in the running for the Panthers’ head job unless he leads this year’s team to a massive turnaround.
Regardless of who the Panthers decide to hire as their next coach, it needs to be the right hire. Tepper would also be smart to give the next head coach less power than Rhule was afforded during his time in Charlotte.
A rarity in the NFL, Rhule had, as part of his contract, the final say on roster decisions for the team. To my knowledge, only one other coach in the NFL holds this degree of control over his roster — Bill Belichick. Belichick earned this ability by helping the Patriots win seven Super Bowls. Rhule’s biggest accomplishment in his career prior to coming to Carolina was coaching Baylor to an 11-3 record and a loss in the Sugar Bowl in 2019.
Not exactly equal resumes.
Among the names that have been suggested as Rhule’s replacement, two that really stick out to me are DeMeco Ryans and Ken Dorsey.
Ryans, a former standout linebacker for Houston and Philadephia, is currently the defensive coordinator for the 49ers, who rank first in yards (249.2) and points allowed (12.2) per game this season.
Ryans would have plenty to work with on Carolina’s defense, as several of the team’s brightest young players — including Brian Burns, Jaycee Horn and Jeremy Chinn — play on that side of the ball. Another enticing thing about Ryans is his relationship with his players. At just 38 years old, Ryans is only a few years removed from playing in the league, and he has shown an ability to connect with his players and inspire strong play.
Dorsey, meanwhile, is an offensive guru who is currently in his first season as the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills — who lead the NFL in yards per game (440.4) so far in 2022.
Dorsey has a connection to the Panthers, as he served as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2013-17 before taking the same position in Buffalo on Sean McDermott’s staff in 2019. He has played a big part in the development of Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen — who is the current favorite to win NFL MVP at 2-to-1.
Having experience in Charlotte, including working with the Panthers during their Super Bowl run in 2015, Dorsey can bring a sense of familiarity as well as an exciting offensive identity to the franchise, something that will be necessary after the horror show that has been the Sam Darnold- and Baker Mayfield-led offenses of the past two seasons.
Having an offensive mind as head coach might make more sense for the Panthers, as they are likely going to have a new quarterback starting under center this time next year. Mayfield and Darnold have inspired zero confidence from fans, many of whom hope the team takes a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Carolina is currently in line for the No. 1 overall pick with the worst record in the league, and if the Panthers manage to hold onto that pick, they could be in line for a truly game-changing player come April’s draft.
Right now, the top two quarterbacks expected to come out in 2023 are Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young. The two players are different stylistically — the 6-foot-3 Stroud is more of a traditional passer, while the 5-foot-11 Young can make plays with both his arm and his legs.
If the Panthers can bag either Stroud or Young, it will be a huge step toward turning the fortunes of the franchise around. But if the past several years have taught us anything, having a talented roster can only do so much when you don’t have the right guy at the top leading the charge.
Rhule definitely wasn’t the guy. The Panthers desperately need their next coach to be.
Sports Editor Jeremy Vernon can be reached at jeremy@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @jbo_vernon.