Just a week ago, new Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule had stated an intention to remain as the head coach at Baylor and even declined an opportunity to interview for the head coaching position with the Cleveland Browns.
Rhule remained open to interviewing with the Panthers and New York Giants for their positions and decided that Carolina was the right chance for him to take his shot at the professional game. So what convinced Rhule to leave Waco and head to Charlotte instead?
“Well I just think throughout the entire process getting to know Mr. Tepper, getting to know Marty (Hurney), it was very clear that things were going to be done the right way,” Rhule said in an interview with the Panthers’ website. “They were not looking for a quick fix but instead were looking for sustained excellence. They were looking for a coach that was going to come in and build a program.
“That’s all I really believe in. It’s not about rising and falling day after day. It’s about putting a process in place that guarantees you’re going to be successful in the long run and then having the guts and the toughness to stick to it through good times and bad. When I listened to them talk, that’s what they were looking for and that’s really all I believe in and it just seemed like the right fit.”
A nice contract offer almost certainly didn’t hurt either.