Matt Rhule Asked What He'd Change About NFL Tenure: 'Take Another Job'
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 31: Head Coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers looks on after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Matt Rhule's run as the head coach of the Panthers didn't go nearly as well as he hoped it would. He owned an underwhelming 11-27 record.
Now that Rhule is the head coach of Nebraska's football program, he's ready to look back at his time in Carolina.
While on "The Season with Peter Schrager," Rhule was asked what he would change from his time in the NFL. His answer to that question was telling.
"I think I probably would have taken another job," Rhule said. "It’s a great place. Wonderful people. But I just don’t know if I was a fit there. At the end of the day—we talked about, ‘Hey, we’re gonna have a four-year plan, a five-year plan.’ If you tell me, ‘Hey, we got a two-year plan,’ then I’ma go sign a bunch of free agents and do it. So what was a four-year plan became a two-year and five-game plan real quick."
Rhule acknowledged that Carolina is on the right track. However, he doesn't believe the team was ready to be a contender during the 2022 season.
"I think the trajectory we were on was correct,” Rhule added. “It was to have a team that next year could maybe make a big trade. I think you see the signs of it now. When they play well on offense, they win. There’s a good defense there. I give Steve all the credit, I give the coaches all the credit. But I’m part of that building process."
Panthers fans may not like this answer from Rhule, but it somewhat makes sense. Although he certainly had his fair share of mistakes, the franchise hasn't really done a great job of putting together a roster that's ready to win now.
At the end of the day, both sides will probably benefit from their split.
Rhule will get to show what he can do at Nebraska, while the Panthers have looked much better under interim coach Steve Wilks.
