Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Football season (and petty season) started early for many Panthers fans, who tuned in to Matt Rhule’s debut for Nebraska on Thursday night.
Carolina Panthers fans tuned in to an all-too-familiar scene last night. But this time, it wasn’t at their expense.
Former Panthers head coach Matt Rhule made his debut on the sideline for the University of Nebraska on Thursday—one that ended in a painful 13-10 loss for the Cornhuskers. And, as expected, the Carolina faithful had some fun with it . . .
Ex-Panthers HC Matt Rhule: Going through the fire in Carolina was a purifying fire that melts away all the impurities, all the hubris
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The tired take is that Matt Rhule was fired by the Carolina Panthers. The wired take is that the Carolina Panthers were a fire for Matt Rhule.
ESPN college football senior writer Pete Thamel spent a day with our old friend and the new leader of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. As part of his feature on the former Carolina head coach, Thamel includes an interesting take from Rhule on his time with the Panthers:
“Going through the fire in Carolina was a purifying fire that melts away all the impurities, all the hubris, all the worrying about stuff that doesn’t matter,” Rhule said. “I learned very much to worry about what matters. I have a focus and a desire in me. I watched what my kids had to go through in Carolina, and we’re not going to let ’em go through that here.”
Well, that’s ironic considering how much went up in smoke for the franchise between 2020 and 2022.
Anyway, Rhule almost never seemed like a good fit at the pro level. From commandeering final say over the roster to reportedly controlling the team’s social media offerings and parking spots, his . . . um . . . stylings were always best suited at the college level.
Oh, and the actual on-field product wasn’t great either. The Panthers—in their two seasons and change under the first-time NFL head coach—went 11-27 and cycled through a sickening carousel of starting quarterbacks.
But, luckily for him and his family, Rhule has found his sweet spot again.
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The Panthers reportedly believe Matt Rhule and Nebraska may have unreasonably backloaded their contract in an attempt to get David Tepper to dish out even more money.
We learned on Wednesday morning, through the reporting of CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones, that Matt Rhule has filed an arbitration suit against the Carolina Panthers. The complaint alleges that the team is refusing to pay roughly $5 million of his severance compensation, which is a part of the buyout from this past season’s firing.
Well, Jones also noted that the Panthers are indeed refusing to pay Rhule—under the belief that he and the University of Nebraska are trying to get one over on owner David Tepper.
Rhule’s buyout entails a dollar-for-dollar credit against what’s left on his deal with Carolina. So—essentially—the less Nebraska pays, the more the Panthers will.
Being that Rhule’s new pact is considerably backloaded, Carolina will argue that Rhule and his new employer have finagled the terms to get Tepper to pay more upfront. Here, as mentioned by Jones, is the policy the Panthers will reference under reasonableness with new contracts.
“If the contract with the new club includes a substantial salary increase in new contract years, the Commissioner shall use the following as a guideline to determine the reasonableness of those increases: (i) if annual compensations is scheduled to increase by 20 percent or more for the new contract years, the prior club’s annual offset, if that club is entitled to an offset, shall be calculated based upon the employee’s average annual compensation during the entire term of contract.”
The eight-year deal with Nebraska, which has an annual average salary of $9.25 million, will pay Rhule just $5.5 million in his first year and eventually escalate up to $12.5 million.
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Matt Rhule is set to earn $72 million over his eight-year pact with Nebraska, which should make Panthers owner David Tepper a very happy man.
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Now we have a number.
On Saturday, former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was officially named the new head coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. And despite things not working out in the former of those two titles, everyone involved will have some pretty happy pockets.
As reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport this morning, Rhule is slated to rake in $72 million over his eight-year pact in Lincoln. That, in turn, will “offset the vast majority” of the $34 million owner David Tepper owes the 47-year-old and former fellow short-order cook.
When Nebraska hired Matt Rhule, they did more than just set up their future — they also offset the vast majority of the $34M the #Panthers still owed him. This was the thought when CAR hired Rhule. If he didn't work out, they would be covered. He'll make $72M over 8 in Nebraska.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 27, 2022
When the Panthers dismissed Rhule back on Oct. 10, they were still holding on to approximately $40 million of his seven-year $62 million tab. Now that he’ll be bringing in a hefty sum back down in the college ranks, the dollar-for-dollar credit in the agreement with Carolina will take effect—as Nebraska essentially takes over on Rhule’s salary.
The contract is also a testament to how much the game means to Rhule, who could’ve earned that $40 million just by sitting on his keister at home for the next four and a half seasons. But now, he’ll have to work for it.
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How are Panthers fans reacting to the news of Matt Rhule landing on his feet over at Nebraska?
The relationship between Carolina Panthers fans and Matt Rhule has been, uh, let’s say . . . largely interesting. So, are they at least happy for their former head coach landing on his feet at the University of Nebraska?
Here are the best reactions from the Carolina faithful to Saturday’s big news.
The University of Nebraska will be hiring Matt Rhule as their next head coach. So, what does this mean for the Panthers?
That didn’t take long.
Less than two months after being fired by the Carolina Panthers, Matt Rhule has landed on his feet rather quickly. The 47-year-old coach will now head back down to the college ranks and all the way over to Lincoln, Neb.—where he’ll lead the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.
For Rhule, this is obviously a fantastic move and a great opportunity. As he did at Temple University and Baylor University, he’ll have another chance to reshape and rebuild a collegiate program—but now, on a bit of a larger scale.
But what does this mean for the Panthers?
Well, it’s actually the best-case scenario for owner David Tepper and company. The quicker Rhule found a new job the better it’d be for Carolina—and that’s precisely what happened.
At the time he was fired, Rhule was still owed approximately $40 million of his seven-year, $62 million contract. And now that Nebraska has brought him in, the Panthers will get a dollar-for-dollar credit against what’s left of the deal as soon as he begins at his new digs.
So, based on what he makes there, the buyout is coming.
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According to ESPN’s Chris Low, the University of Nebraska is working towards hiring former Panthers HC Matt Rhule.
It’s been a busy week for Matt Rhule. From joining Vic Carucci on The 33rd Team to hopping on the Good Morning Football desk, the former Carolina Panthers head coach emerged into the spotlight for the first time since his firing back on Oct. 10.
And now, that week may conclude on an extremely high note.
As first reported by ESPN senior writer Chris Low on Friday afternoon, Rhule is inching closer to securing a big opening back down in the college ranks—as the head coach at the University of Nebraska.
Nebraska has zeroed in on former Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule as @HuskerFBNation’s next head coach, and the two sides hope to finalize a deal in the coming days, sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) November 25, 2022
Rhule, of course, rose to prominence due to his success at the collegiate level. His work in turning around teams at Temple University and Baylor University between 2013 and 2019 established him as a “program builder.”
Unfortunately for owner David Tepper and the Panthers, Rhule couldn’t do the same for them. Carolina, looking for a rebuild of their own, went 11-27 under Rhule and dismissed him in the third year of his seven-year, $62 million contract.
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Panthers HC Matt Rhule has been linked to yet another big-time college opening. And this time, it could be the Nebraska Cornhuskers that come calling.
There’s nothing like the good ol’ smell of another big-time college football job in the morning!
On Saturday, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was—once again—linked to another prominent collegiate opening. This time, it’s the University of Nebraska that could come calling.
When running down the potential leading candidates for the Cornhuskers’ next head coach—a void left behind by last week’s firing of Scott Frost—FOX Sports reporter Bruce Feldman brought up Rhule’s name as a “wildcard” possibility.
“One wildcard in this—Matt Rhule in the NFL, on the hot seat with the Carolina Panthers,” Feldman said. “Did a terrific job both at Temple and then at Baylor. I think he is somebody who could be in the mix if he’s out of work with the NFL.”
But that wouldn’t be the only mention of Matt. Former punter and new College GameDay analyst Pat McAfee also dropped Rhule’s name in the conversation ahead of Nebraska’s afternoon clash with the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
Pat McAfee just dropped Matt Rhule’s name as a coach Nebraska should look at as their next head coach.
“He could be on his way out as the Carolina Panthers head coach.”@PatMcAfeeShow
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) September 17, 2022
This should be nothing new to the Panthers organization. Rhule was also rumored as a possible replacement for Jim Harbaugh at the University of Michigan on multiple occasions last year.
Now, obviously, we’re still quite early in either process—whether that be Nebraska’s search or Rhule’s 2023 status. But an 0-2 start for Carolina, which could be a reality within the next 30 hours or so, could make the latter process even murkier.
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Here are four things to know about New York Jets undrafted free agent cornerback, Lamar Jackson.
It was expected that Lamar Jackson would be among the players taken in the 2020 NFL Draft, but the Nebraska cornerback never heard his name called.
The Jets were wise to scoop up Jackson as a priority undrafted free agent. He’s a physical, lengthy cornerback who fits the mold that Gang Green is often looking for. While he may have to always deal with being mistaken for the other Lamar Jackson, he’s got a good shot of making the Jets roster and being a more than serviceable cornerback at the next level.
Let’s get to know him a little bit better.
It’s not easy to share a name in sports, especially when the person that you share that name with is the reigning NFL MVP. The Jets’ Jackson, however, wasn’t selected in the NFL draft, nor is he a Heisman Trophy winner or star quarterback.
“At first, there was really nothing to it, but of course, as the other Lamar Jackson on his football journey, he became a star,” Jackson told Press Box Online in January. “He won the Heisman. He became who he was. It’s one of those things where I’m just like, ‘The magic might just be in the name.’ He can have all the fame — he’s scoring touchdowns, he’s the quarterback — but for the most part, I’m going to be in the league, too. I’m going to be living just as well.”
Fred Hoiberg looked miserable on the bench Wednesday night, as he tried to coach Nebraska through the first — and now only — day of the Big Ten tournament.
Fred Hoiberg looked miserable on the bench Wednesday night, as he tried to coach Nebraska through the first — and now only — day of the Big Ten tournament.
