Matt Rhule is heading to the NFL.
As first reported by Yahoo’s Pete Thamel and confirmed by Mike Jones of USA TODAY Sports, the Baylor coach is set to become the next head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
Rhule takes over for longtime coach Ron Rivera, who is now with the Washington Redskins after Panthers owner David Tepper fired him Dec. 3.
Tepper met with Rhule and his family in Waco on Monday and, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tepper liked Rhule so much that he wanted to nab the coach right away. Rhule was set to interview with the New York Giants on Tuesday.
Rhule is responsible for a remarkable turnaround at Baylor, taking the program from 1-11 in 2017 to 11-3 in 2019.