Unless the outlook for his Carolina Panthers changes and changes quickly, Matt Rhule is probably running out of time in Charlotte, N.C. And if he is, owner David Tepper is already zeroing in on a new plan.
According to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the third-year head coach is under “heavy scrutiny” from ownership. The Friday morning report notes that although a change is not imminent, patience for Rhule is growing increasingly thin.
Wilson added that if Rhule is ultimately dismissed, Tepper will seek out a veteran replacement—one with considerable head coaching experience. He writes:
“’I’m expecting, and many others around the league expect Tepper to go with a proven head coach with significant NFL experience,’ a league source said. ‘That would mean looking at Sean Payton or a Dan Quinn. Tepper has been patient, but patience only stretches so far. At some point, you have to win, and they haven’t won nearly enough games.'”
Payton and Quinn, of course, should be quite familiar names to Panthers fans. The former led the New Orleans Saints to a combined 152-89 record and a Lombardi Trophy over 15 seasons while the latter headed the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020—a stint that also included a Super Bowl appearance of his own.
As for their current gigs—Payton stepped away from the sidelines after the 2021 campaign and is currently a FOX studio panelist. Quinn is now in his second season as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
