The Carolina Panthers have ended the Matt Rhule era after announcing his firing.
The team finished with an 11-27 record during his tenure and was 1-27 when the team surrendered 17 points or more.
That statistic highlights a problem with their offense because they cannot generate enough points even with talented players like Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Robbie Anderson, and Shi Smith.
During his time, the Panthers are also 0-16 in game-winning drive opportunities, and 0-24 when allowing more than 21 points.
The team is also 2-25 under Rhule when not leading by at least seven points at halftime, and 3-27 when not leading by double-digits at the half.
But despite the atrocious performance of the Panthers, Rhule is still set to earn a lot of money.
Former Panthers’ HC Matt Rhule now leaves the Panthers being owed north of $40 million.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 10, 2022
ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter tweeted, “Former Panthers’ HC Matt Rhule now leaves the Panthers being owed north of $40 million.”
Rhule signed a seven-year, $62 million contract with the Panthers in 2020 after coaching the Baylor Bears for three seasons.
That amount translates to $8.85 million annually or $44.28 million from 2022 to 2026.
An Expensive But Failed Investment For The Panthers
The Panthers thought that Rhule would be able to carry his success from Baylor to Carolina.
Instead, he only had ten total victories in 2020 and 2021, making every win worth around $1.6 million.
It’s a bad investment for Panthers owner David Tepper, and only a buyout can cancel the contract at once.
However, Rhule has the right to demand his money even if he is not coaching the team anymore.
It’s a depressing circumstance for a team that has won only one game through Week 5.
As a consolation for the Panthers, coaches salaries are not included in the salary cap.
But aside from getting his NFL money, Rhule can also earn more by getting one of the coveted job openings in college football.
His resume with Baylor speaks volumes of his ability to turn a struggling program into a nationally-ranked contender.
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