Carolina Panthers fire coach Matt Rhule after 1-4 start

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Matt Rhule has been fired as the coach of the Carolina Panthers less than six full months after owner David Tepper said it could take five, maybe six years to rebuild an organization capable of sustained excellence.

Rhule's firing Monday came less than 24 hours after a 37-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and less than three years into a seven-year, $62 million contract he was given in January 2020 to turn around the Panthers the way he did college programs at Temple and Baylor. Rhule is still owed north of $40 million.

He was fired with a record of 11-27, including this year's 1-4 start. Under Rhule, the Panthers went 1-27 when allowing 17 or more points, including 25 losses in a row. Every other team has multiple such wins in that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Defensive pass game coordinator Steve Wilks was named the interim coach. Wilks, 53, was previously a head coach in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, when he posted a 3-13 record and was fired following his first season.

Since Matt Rhule took over the team in 2020, the Panthers are near the bottom of the NFL on the offensive side of the ball. That resulted in a 11-27 record for Rhule and his firing on Monday.

Rhule's firing came after Tepper in late April said: «I believe in Matt. He has my full support.''

»I'm a fan,'' Tepper added that day. «I don't like to lose. But it takes time and it takes a foundation, and it takes time to create the foundation to win. I do believe Coach Rhule and [general manager] Scott [Fitterer] have done a great job of creating that foundation.''

What Rhule, 47, never found was a quarterback capable of sustained success.

He inherited Cam Newton, who was released in March 2020 as he