NFL Rumors: Will Matt Rhule return for a third season as Panthers HC?

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is in his second season with the team. He has a record of 10-22 after Sunday's 18-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 17. The Panthers are currently in last place in the NFC South. They finished third in 2020.

Rhule was given a seven-year, $62 million contract by owner David Tepper to outbid the New York Giants, who eventually went with Joe Judge as their head coach.

There are reports that Tepper, by all accounts, plans to give Rhule a third year in Carolina. Earlier in the week, Rhule stated that the Panthers owner, who was confident in him, had committed, behind closed doors, for another year.

“[Tepper had] nothing but confidence about me and the future and moving forward,” Rhule said.

However, the team has a record of 2-10 after starting the 2021 season at 3-0. This includes a current five-game losing streak. A source within the Panthers organization is depicting the team’s downturn in Rhule’s sophomore year as “a clusterf**k.”

In their Week 16 game against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they lost by a score of 32-6. Their six points are tied for second-fewest in points scored this season.

Carolina scored three points back in Week 7 against the New York Giants, losing the game by a score of 25-3 on the road.

So far, the Panthers are 28th in the NFL in total offense (305.7 yards per game), 29th in touchdowns thrown (12) and 30th in net yards per drive (26.5).

Their offensive numbers could be due to not having their All-Pro running back in Christian McCaffrey, who is out for the season with an ankle injury.

Inconsistent play at quarterback is a factor as well. They started the season with Sam Darnold under center and then signed former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton to start when Darnold was injured.

Darnold's injury seemed to occur in their Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots by a score of 24-6.

On the other side of the ball, Carolina are second in total defense, allowing 300.8 yards a game. The defense allows the fewest net yards per drive at 25.6 yards.

That being said, history has shown that Rhule could get another year on the sidelines in Charlotte.

Matt Rhule's Coaching Career

Carolina Panthers HC Matt Rhule

Before being hired as the franchise’s sixth head coach, Matt Rhule coached the Temple Owls and the Baylor Bears. He went 28-23 during his four years at Temple (2013-2016) with two bowl game appearances and a 19-20 record in three years (2017-2019) at Baylor with two more bowl game appearances.

In 2012, he was on the Giants coaching staff under head coach Tom Coughlin, prior to going to Temple.

For Rhule, every head coach in team history has been given, at least, three seasons. For example, George Seifert was fired after three years (1999-2001) after a record of 16-32.

Another such example is the Panthers' first ever head coach, Dom Capers, who spent four years on the sidelines from 1995-1998 and had an overall record of 30-34.

Former Panthers head coach John Fox took the team to the Super Bowl in his second year in 2003, losing to the Patriots by a score of 32-29.

Current Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera coached Carolina from 2011-2019, taking the team to their second ever Super Bowl, losing to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24-10.

For Rhule, it is not a lock for a third year. He has to figure out who his franchise quarterback will be and have a healthy McCaffrey in the backfield to have any success. Will Tepper grant him one more year, or is it too late for him to turn it around?