Fansided

Carolina Panthers finally fired Matt Rhule, and Twitter got off its jokes

By Josh Hill

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers reacts to a play during the first quarter of the game against the Washington Football Team at Bank of America Stadium on November 21, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 21: Head coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers reacts to a play during the first quarter of the game against the Washington Football Team at Bank of America Stadium on November 21, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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The Carolina Panthers mercifully fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday, ending his tenure after just 38 games. 

It could be said that the writing was on the wall for Matt Rhule. The Carolina Panthers head coach was fired on Monday after a 35-17 loss to the 49ers, and just 38 games into his long-term contract he signed back in 2020.

Rhule was long rumored to be the first head coach to be fired this season thanks in large part to the general chaos that has surrounded his tenure with the team. Over the course of his three seasons with the Panthers, Rhule cycled through both offensive coordinators and quarterbacks, starting each season with a new group leading perhaps the most important side of the ball in the sport.

The final Hail Mary that fell short was the attempted revival of Baker Mayfield, a last-ditch effort to try and salvage the mess and save his job. But as his time comes to an end less than halfway through the season, it could end up being a move that is a win-win for all involved.

Head coach firings are often long overdue ordeals that plod along until the very last moment. Rhule’s exit comes early enough for the Panthers to start planning for the future and at the right time for the former NFL head coach to be the belle of the College Football hiring ball.

Of course, with his impending unemployment so blatantly obvious, Twitter got off its jokes once the word became official.

Perhaps the best take was by The Ringer‘s Kevin Clark. It’s not that Rhule is a bad head coach, he’s just not a good NFL coach and that’s a very important distinction to make.

Some of the biggest jobs in the country are becoming available with openings at Arizona State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Georgia Tech. It’s expected that Auburn and Iowa State will have openings at head coach as well, which is to say Rhule getting fired by the Panthers might have been a mercy kill more than anything else.

To be clear, Rhule’s time in the NFL is likely over for good but that doesn’t mean he can’t still have a successful career rebuilding a Power 5 program while also rebuilding his own reputation.