Report: Matt Rhule to ‘Have His Choice’ of CFB HC Jobs After Being Fired by Panthers

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The Carolina Panthers fired Matt Rhule on Monday, but the coach will “have his choice of coveted college jobs” for next season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Rapoport noted Rhule had “several opportunities” for a college position last season but turned them down to remain with the Panthers.

Rhule finished his Panthers career with an 11-27 record, including a 1-4 mark in 2022. Sunday’s 37-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers was the team’s largest margin of defeat this season.

Despite his struggles at the NFL level, Rhule had an impressive resume during his collegiate coaching career:

Rhule began his coaching career at the college level, spending time as an assistant with Albright, Buffalo, UCLA, Western Carolina and Temple before eventually getting a head coaching job. In his two decades of coaching, he only had one year of NFL experience before joining the Panthers in 2020.

His collegiate resume could be enough to make him a top candidate for several openings.

Less than two months into the season, there are already vacancies at Nebraska, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Georgia Tech and Colorado. Other coaches could be on the hot seat if things don’t turn around in the second half of the year.

Rhule’s success in program building could be especially valuable at a job like Nebraska, which won only three games in each of the last two years while going 3-3 to start 2022.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are also hoping Rhule gets another job. As Rapoport noted, Carolina owes the coach $40 million, but the remaining contract would be offset by any future salary he receives.