Panthers fire Matt Rhule in 3rd season of 7-year contract
The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday following a 1-4 start to the season.
Rhule was in his third campaign in Carolina and leaves with an 11-27 record. He went 5-11 in his rookie year and 5-12 last season.
Defensive pass game coordinator/secondary coach Steve Wilks will take over as interim head coach.
Owner David Tepper said a "loss of intensity" he noticed in Sunday's defeat by the San Francisco 49ers was one of the reasons he decided to dismiss Rhule, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Tepper added that Wilks could be considered for the full-time role depending on his performance.
Carolina also fired defensive coordinator Phil Snow. Defensive assistant Al Holcomb is expected to be Snow's replacement, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
The Panthers handed Rhule a reported seven-year, $62-million deal in January 2020 to oversee a significant rebuild alongside new team owner David Tepper.
But the coach couldn't replicate his program-building success with Baylor and Temple in the NFL. The 2022 campaign was seen as a make-or-break year for Rhule, who brought in quarterback Baker Mayfield to help ignite a playoff push.
However, Carolina suffered a second straight double-digit loss Sunday to fall to 1-4 on the season, all but ending its hopes of a first postseason appearance under Rhule.
The Panthers' offense ranks 24th in points per game and last in yards per contest. The NFC South club's defense hasn't performed much better, sitting tied for 21st in points allowed per game and 20th in yards allowed per contest.
Rather than solidify the quarterback position, Mayfield has been among the worst starters in the NFL through five games.
His 16.5 QBR is by far the worst in the league, while his 71.9 passer rating is the second-worst mark. He's also thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns (four) and averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt (29th).
A return to the college ranks could be in the cards for Rhule.
Former #Panthers coach Matt Rhule had several opportunities last offseason for big-time college jobs, but he turned them down to stay in Carolina. Now, he'll have his choice of coveted college jobs. https://t.co/OenYiWgcC5
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 10, 2022
Wilks spent one year as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 after rising through the ranks in Carolina from 2012-18 to become defensive coordinator.
He returned to the Panthers this season after one-year stints with the Cleveland Browns and Missouri.