‘Matt who???’ Some Carolina fans cringe at Panthers hiring college coach
Some Carolina Panthers fans are dismayed over the team’s hiring of Matt Rhule, but others say he’s the fresh blood the team needs and he deserves a chance to prove himself in the NFL.
The 44-year-old Rhule has been the head coach at Baylor University. Hired Tuesday as head coach for the Panthers, he is the first in franchise history to be plucked from the college level.
Some fans contend the team’s decision is a setback for the Panthers’ future Super Bowl prospects.
“The Panthers will toil in mediocrity for the next few years,” one fan predicted on Facebook Tuesday morning.
“So you pass on Josh McDaniels and Eric Bieniemy and you hire Matt who?????” another fan posted. “C’mon Tepper!!!!!!”
Another fan wrote: “Time to find another NFL team to follow and donate my Panther hat to Goodwill.”
Panthers fans on Twitter were equally vocal.
“Another wasted effort!” wrote one woman. “Name me one college coach that was successful in the NFL.”
“Matt Rhule has never beaten a top 25 team from a Power 5 conference and is now the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.,” one man tweeted. “Yikes.”
“Not ready for this,” a woman posted. “I miss Ron.”
Ron Rivera, whom the Panthers fired with four games left last season, posted a 76-63-1 regular-season record — the most wins in franchise history — and a 3-4 postseason record.
With Rivera out and Rhule in, some fans were optimistic Tuesday.
“What a great hire, he is an utterly impressive coach, team builder and leader of men,” one person wrote.
Another called Rhule’s selection an “outstanding hire.”
“I am excited to see what he can do for the Panthers,” one woman posted. “He brings fresh ideas and I’m sure he is determined to do his best.”
“In Tepper we trust!” wrote another fan. “I’m sure as an experienced investor that he is, he did his due diligence. It’s time to win Carolina.”
Rhule became the fifth head coach in team history and the first with an offensive background. He spent the past three seasons as Baylor’s head coach, leading the Bears to an 11-3 record in 2019 after the team went 1-11 just two years prior.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 12:32 PM.