Grading the Panthers' Coaching Staff in Year 1 of the Matt Rhule Era

Looking back on how the new coaching staff did in 2020.

Year one of the Matt Rhule era in Carolina officially came to a close last week with a 33-7 loss at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers finished the season at 5-11 and will hold the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Panthers had several ups and downs throughout the season, so we decided to gather our end of the season thoughts and grade the first year of Matt Rhule and his staff.

Schuyler Callihan: B+

I had this team winning five games assuming Christian McCaffrey, Russell Okung, Donte Jackson, and several other key pieces would be healthy for the entire season. To think that they were still able to reach five wins, especially with McCaffrey only playing in parts of three games is amazing. This staff never made excuses and just continued to work with the next man up. To me, the most impressive job this coaching staff did was on the defensive side of the ball. It didn't show in the final game of the season, but Phil Snow and his assistants had that defense playing really good football in the back half of the season. You could see the growth in guys like Jeremy Chinn and Derrick Brown and even some younger vets like Efe Obada and Jermaine Carter Jr. 

Offensively, Joe Brady pieced together a fairly decent offense in his first year on the job which is why he is already receiving interest from multiple teams to become a head coach. Quarterback play was very inconsistent throughout the year and despite that, four players still reach the 1,000-yard mark in scrimmage yards (RB Mike Davis, WR Curtis Samuel, WR Robby Anderson, WR DJ Moore). 

This team played their heart out from week to week regardless of the opponent. The Panthers lost eight games by just one score and several of those games were against teams they had no business competing with like they did taking the Kansas City Chiefs to the wire. 

Jason Hewitt: B+

It was impressive that this coaching staff was able to win a few games with the roster that they had to work with. Were there questionable calls on both sides of the ball? Absolutely. However, Phil Snow managed to generate some great performances out of this young defense at times, and Joe Brady did the best he could with a pedestrian quarterback. Matt Rhule and his staff (the coaches that stay, anyway) could be building something special in Carolina, but they can improve in year two.

Josh Altorfer: B 

Matt Rhule and his coaching staff laid the foundation to what can be a successful roster in year one. Teams that are built from the inside out usually end up being physical. I think the Panthers have started this process by bolstering an elite defensive line. There are still obviously a lot of holes but this team was never going to be rebuilt in just one year. I look forward to seeing what moves the front office and coaching staff make in the offseason.

Bill Riccette: B

I was a fan of Rhule when he was hired and obviously still like the direction this team is going in. The way their season ended was obviously deflating for the team, but they were still competitive in almost every game. That’s all you can ask for from a first-year coach in a rebuilding project. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that he’s already having to replace coaches because they’re now off doing other things, including Peetz, who now gets to be an OC. Obviously, Brady is the big watch here, but they have an in-house candidate in Nixon if Brady leaves. Year two should see some improvement. This is an important offseason for the Panthers. Really interested to see how they attack it and with a new GM.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:

Facebook - @PanthersOnSI

Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.