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It looks like the New York Giants will have to go to Plan B for a head coach as reports are that Baylor coach Matt Rhule will be accepting an offer to become head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
The #Panthers are hiring #Baylor coach Matt Rhule, source says (as @PeteThamel reported). They are working out the deal as we speak. They did not want him to get on the plane to the #Giants.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2020
[Update]
Rapoport is now reporting that Rhule offered the Giants the chance to match contracts with the Panthers. When the Giants declined to do so, Rhule accepted the Panthers’ offer.
From NFL Now: The #Giants had a chance to guarantee they would match the #Panthers money offered to Matt Rhule to get him on the plane to New Jersey. They declined and hired Joe Judge. pic.twitter.com/CoWdVODM2Y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2020
Rhule was expected to interview with the Giants on Tuesday. He never made it to New Jersey, however, after interviewing the Panthers on Monday. That is a stunning development since head coach of the Giants was said to be Rhule’s dream job.
Since firing Pat Shurmur, the Giants have now seen the Washington Redskins hire Ron Rivera, who worked with Giants GM Dave Gettleman in Carolina, interviewed Mike McCarthy and watched him take the job as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and now watched Rhule, considered by most their first choice, decide to take the Carolina job without even interviewing for the Giants job.
Rhule was apparently wooed at least partially by Panthers’ owner David Tepper being willing invest heavily in sports science, something that interests Rhule.
From @gmfb: The #Panthers swooped in and hired #Baylor coach Matt Rhule in a stealth move. One big draw was #Panthers owner David Tepper being willing to put money into the sports science program that Rhule wants. Resources won’t be a problem. pic.twitter.com/CIB52vDldE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2020