Please answer our survey to predict how many games the Panthers need to win in 2022 for Matt Rhule to keep his job.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Each week we ask questions of the most plugged-in Carolina Panthers fans and fans across the country.
Last week, we published a survey to see how many games y’all think the Panthers will win this season. With Matt Rhule heading into his third year in Carolina, and after back-to-back five-win seasons under his belt, I wasn’t expecting a lot of fans to have a positive outlook on the 2022 season. Y’all surprised me a bit with your response, so this week I want to see where y’all lean on another subject: How many games do the Panthers have to win for Matt Rhule to save his job?
My take
As I mentioned in my countdown piece covering Rhule:
Panthers owner David Tepper has repeatedly said that Rhule has his support and this is a long-term rebuild project, but I have a feeling that his support will start to wither away if the team doesn’t start winning soon. Money shouldn’t be a factor in whether or not Rhule keeps his job (coaches’ salaries are not factored into the salary cap, and Tepper is currently the league’s richest owner), so if the team doesn’t make a significant leap in 2022 it could be time for Tepper to make a change.
I feel like the Panthers need to win at least 7-8 games for Rhule to save his job and see a fourth year in Carolina, but I also feel like the team could go 5-12 or 6-11 as long as they look better on the field than they have in the first two years of Rhule’s tenure. Tepper may be a little more patient if the Panthers lose a handful of close games or get bitten by bad luck, but if Rhule fails to put a better looking product on the field then it’s probably going to be the end of his time here.
But what about you, Panthers fans? How many games do you think the team has to win for Rhule to get a fourth year? Please answer our survey below, and if you feel up to it please discuss your thoughts in the comments!
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