The worst NFL team overruled former Panthers head coach Matt Rhule’s desire to draft quarterback Brock Purdy, a superstar.
In a video aired on KETV’s Matt Foster, fired head coach of the Carolina Panthers Matt Rhule revealed to reporters that he attempted to put 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy on the team’s draft board but was “vetoed.”
“When I was in the draft room at Carolina, I brought his name up,” Rhule told reporters as he addressed the media from the podium at his new position as head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He ought to be on the draft board, I remarked. That one was vetoed by me.”
While the two were in the Big 12, Rhule coached against Purdy, with Purdy serving as the Iowa State Cyclones’ signal caller and Rhule as the head coach of the Baylor Bears.
Turns out Matt Rhule had a strong interest in drafting Brock Purdy while he was Head Coach of the Panthers. “When I was in the draft room at Carolina, I brought his name up. I said he should be on the draft board. I got vetoed on that one.”
He also told a funny anecdote about how he constantly warned his players against falling for Purdy’s pump fake but claimed they often fell for it anyway.
When we were playing Brock Purdy, we used to urge our players, “Do not, do not, fall for his pump fake,” right? Brock would emerge and perform a pump fake. “He gets ten yards down the field in the first game, he pump fakes, our DBs are jumping, and I’m like, ‘He’s past the line of scrimmage,'” said Rhule. “Therefore, much respect to Brock.”
Tepper’s Panthers have traded quarterback Bryce Young, who at best appears to be the second-best quarterback in his class behind Rookie of the Year favorite C.J. Stroud, for star D.J. Moore and a first-round pick in just the previous year alone.
In addition, he dismissed head coach Frank Reich in the middle of the season and hired rookie Dave Canales in his place instead of one of the numerous skilled head coaches available, such as Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel.
Tepper’s dysfunction is not limited to the field. The millionaire businessman was discovered in December tossing a drink at a supporter of the other team—unacceptable conduct for any six-year-old, much less one of the most influential men in sports.
He was fined $300,000 by the NFL for the incident. Thus, he is immature, naive, and hires poor people. His team is equally awful. Since he took charge, the Panthers have failed to post a winning season; at 2-14, they are now the poorest team in the league.
Sorry Panthers supporters, but this guy is going to be around for a long time. I wish you the best of luck.
