Matt Rhule Responds to Rumors of Panthers 'Eyeing' Sean Payton

Carolina head coach Matt Rhule feels safe and has the support of David Tepper.

Usually by May if you are an NFL head coach, you're really not worried about the security of your job. Coaching changes are typically made shortly after the season so that the new coach and his staff can assemble a plan for how to attack free agency, the draft, and the remainder of the offseason. 

A couple of days ago, a report surfaced from Front Office Sports that the Carolina Panthers were "eyeing" former Saints coach Sean Payton for 2023. Current head coach Matt Rhule has posted back-to-back five-win seasons and has not made much progress in terms of finding a franchise quarterback. Although Rhule's seat might appear to be hot from the outside, team owner David Tepper has not once indicated that to be true. In fact, a couple of weeks ago Tepper finally offered his public support of Rhule and the job that he is doing with the organization. 

"I want to thank Matt and compliment him for the real progress towards a winning season. I want to compliment him on assembling a new staff that brings a lot more experience than we had, including two former head coaches. I think that has to be recognized. It hasn't been recognized enough in the press. I believe in Matt and he has my full support."

Following Friday's rookie minicamp practice, Rhule was asked that if reports such as this one make it more difficult for him to do his job. 

"My job is my job. I'm going to attack it. I mean, I'd love to have everything smooth sailing, but I wake up when things happen and stories come out and unnamed sources say this, any adversity that happens, and I just say how lucky am I that I have a chance to overcome this adversity and be a better coach, person, man, father because of this. With regards to that report, Dave called me and told me that it was going to come out and that there was nothing to it. I know Dave Tepper well enough to believe that he wouldn't be talking to another coach right now. He came to my house two and a half years ago and told me that this was a five-year rebuild. He convinced me then to come be a part of it and build it with him. We're not where we want to be and I don't think it's going to take five years. I don't want it to take five years, but those are the words he said to me."

Of course, Rhule understands that when you go 5-12 in each of your first two seasons on the job, there's a lot of heat that comes with that, especially from the fan base. Winning cures all and he believes this team is in a much better position than it was a year ago in several aspects. 

"We went 5-12 last year. I can't expect many stories to be good. I'll just say this because people on the inside, when you walk in these walls everyday and you're around our players everyday, this is a really good place. We've got more guys here that don't have to be here. No matter what the perception is on the outside of like man, that looks a little bit like this, it's not. We have great practices. We have coaches going to dinner with players. We have coaches golfing with players. We have a great interaction. And you know what, sometimes when things are a little like this on the outside, sometimes it brings people together. I coached two years with masks on and COVID. Like I said Dave [Tepper] told me, we have a five-year plan, we're two and a half years into it and it was a hard two years. I'm not making excuses for it, it's not nearly where we want it to be but I'm happy with where our guys are at and I'm happy with where this roster is."

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