Ex-NFL coach Matt Rhule reflects on his tenure with the Panthers, vows to rebuild Nebraska football

There was plenty of optimism when the Carolina Panthers announced the hiring of Matt Rhule as the team’s head coach in early 2020. 

He was coming off a successful run as a college football coach when he signed a seven-year contract with the Panthers with hopes of turning the franchise around. 

But his tenure in Charlotte lasted just over three years. He was relieved of his duties after the Panthers managed one win in their first five games in 2022.

Rhule decided to return to the collegiate ranks and accepted a job with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in November. Rhule said he learned from his unsuccessful stint in Carolina and wants things to be different in Lincoln.

“Going through the fire in Carolina was a purifying fire that melts away all the impurities, all the hubris, all the worrying about stuff that doesn’t matter,” Rhule told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

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“I learned very much to worry about what matters. I have a focus and a desire in me. I watched what my kids had to go through in Carolina, and we’re not going to let ’em go through that here.”

Rhule finished his stint in Charlotte with an 11-27 record. The Panthers won five games in 2020 and 2021.

Rhule was unable to develop the Panthers’ offense, which ranked 29th in explosive plays of 20 or more yards.

The front office also struggled to find a solution at the quarterback position. Late in the 2021 season, the team brought veteran quarterback Cam Newton back for a second stint with the franchise.

Rhule expressed confidence about the opportunity to rebuild Nebraska into a contender.

“We can absolutely be a national power,” Rhule said of what he can build at Nebraska. “I think we can be relevant in the [new world] as the College Football Playoff goes to 12 teams.”

The Panthers replaced Rhule with interim coach Steve Wilks, who is now the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. In January, Panthers owner David Tepper introduced Frank Reich as the franchise’s next head coach. 

The Panthers then pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bears to move up to the No. 1 spot in the NFL Draft. Carolina selected quarterback Bryce Young with the top pick.