Matt Rhule doesn’t like end zone celebrations. He shouldn’t be worried.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was upset with receiver Rashard Higgins after an end zone celebration. Perhaps the end zone was a foreign concept.

Apparently, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule got all in his own feelings on Saturday following an end zone celebration from receiver Rashard Higgins. Higgins, who played with Baker Mayfield in Cleveland from 2018-2021. During practice, Higgins caught a touchdown pass from his old buddy, who is now figthing it out for the starting quarterback position with Sam Darnold, for whatever reason. Apparently, Higgins reached the ball over the goal line before he went in the end zone, and that displeased Rhule enough to have everybody running gassers.

 

“Sometimes as a coach too, you just gotta make sure the intensity stays throughout the whole practice,” Rhule concluded, per our friends at Panthers Wire. “But I wanted the defense to understand we can’t give up explosives and the offense to understand we don’t celebrate until after the play is over.”

Perhaps everybody was so excited because they’re not used to passing touchdowns. Last season, only the Jaguars (12) had fewer passing touchdowns than did the Panthers, with 14.

So, Coach — give your guys a break. They’re not used to explosive plays.