Panthers Fire HC Matt Rhule

The Carolina Panthers announced on Monday that they will move forward without head coach Matt Rhule and have named Steve Wilks as interim head coach for the remaining 12 games of the 2022-23 regular season.

Rhule leaves the team as the Panthers fell to a 1-4 record after their most recent Week 5 loss (37-15) against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. He departed with an overall 11-27 standing in his two and a half years as head coach.

The 47-year-old arrived in Carolina after leading coaching staffs at the collegiate level with stints at both Temple and Baylor. He signed a 7-year, $62 million contract to become Panthers head coach and only stayed put for 38 games.

Rhule will be owed approximately $40 million by the Carolina club after their costly divorce.

Wilks, who coached this year as a defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach, will take on his second ever head coaching job. He previously coached the Arizona Cardinals for one season in 2018 and spent six years on the Carolina staff from 2012-17.

It would not be surprising if Rhule returned back to coaching a college team next year, but as of now he will no longer be a head coach in the NFL.

Carolina is looking to turn their season around in Week 6 against the defending champions, the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Oct. 16th.