The Carolina Panthers didn’t play on Sunday, but they still made headlines. The team fired offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The decision came after two back-to-back losses, including last week’s 33-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s probably a necessary move,” The Charlotte Observer’s Langston Wertz Jr. told WFAE’s Gwendolyn Glenn on this week’s installment of Time Out for Sports. “We remember the Panthers were 3-0 and thought they were a playoff team, but now they need major help to get to the playoffs. After that big loss to Miami, the offense was particularly inept. (Head coach Matt) Rhule said he was going to take a look at his staff, and by most accounts, he and Brady have not agreed on much.”
Matt Rhule speaks to the media on Monday https://t.co/JfY6Dt5BVe
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 6, 2021
Brady will be replaced by Jeff Nixon for the rest of the season. But the Panthers’ shaky season has some people wondering whether head coach Matt Rhule’s job is safe.
“I think his seat is warm; I don’t think it’s in jeopardy,” Wertz said. “When he was hired, he was given a long contract and kind of seen as a guy who was going to develop the program… If the Panthers continue to bottom out, he certainly could be in big jeopardy. Trading three draft picks for Sam Darnold looks especially bad right now.”
In other Charlotte sports news, the Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday after three straight losses. Miles Bridges was the high-scorer. And that came even with several high-profile Hornets, including LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, off the court due to the NBA’s COVID protocols.
“What the game shows is the Hornets have depth,” Wertz said.
You can listen to the full Time Out for Sports conversation above. Here’s a quick look at a few other things Glenn and Wertz covered.
- Wake Forest lost to Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship Game this past weekend in Charlotte.
- There’s a recap of who’s playing college bowl games.
- Clemson University’s football team lost its defensive coordinator.
- There’s a roundup of the latest high school football playoff news, including Chambers High’s victory over Hough.
