The Panthers’ coaching search hit high gear yesterday. Here’s a review of the candidates we know about so far.
Former Packers coach Mike McCarthy
Status: Two interviews
Pros: McCarthy has the most NFL experience of these candidates and it’s not close. After six seasons as an offensive coordinator with the Saints and 49ers, he landed in Green Bay and spent 13 years as the head coach of the Packers, posted a respectable 125-77-2 record and won a Super Bowl. Since getting fired, McCarthy has apparently been spending his time self-scouting and studying up on the latest trends and analytics. If that’s true, he may have legitimately improved as a coach.
Cons: Considering the talent McCarthy had to work with, Green Bay fell short of its potential during the McCarthy era. Most notably he had Aaron Rodgers – and when Aaron Rodgers was peaking (roughly from 2009-2016) nobody has ever played quarterback at a higher level. Hard as it is to believe, having won just one ring in that time is a bit of an indictment of McCarthy, whose fallout with Rodgers may have played a huge role in his exit. Managing difficult personalities like Rodgers is part of the job though, and it sounds like McCarthy couldn’t handle it. More importantly, McCarthy’s conservative tendencies and stale play-calling eventually ruined what was once a tremendous passing offense.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy
Status: Requested interview
Pros: Bieniemy has been the offensive coordinator for Kansas City for the last two seasons. During that time, the Chiefs have had the league’s top offense. They rank third in offensive DVOA this year after finishing first by a mile in 2018 when Patrick Mahomes won the MVP award after throwing for 50 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards. Bieniemy’s background is as a running back and that’s the position he’s spent most of his coaching career on. That could work as a force multiplier for the Panthers, who have a singular athlete at that spot in Christian McCaffrey.
Cons: It’s difficult to gauge how much of the Chiefs’ success is due to Bieniemy and how much of it is the talent around him, beginning with the head coach. Andy Reid has an outstanding offensive mind and sometimes assistants who get out from under extremely successful coaches like Reid don’t do nearly as well. Kansas City also has a ludicrous amount of play-makers, including the fastest player in the sport and a QB with as much arm talent as anyone who’s ever done it. The Panthers don’t have anywhere near the firepower the Chiefs have, so Bieniemy will have to be a special play-caller indeed to get similar results. This would also be Bieniemy’s first experience as a head coach.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels
Status: Requested interview
Pros: Sometimes coaching greatness does rub off, though and NFL teams have been trying to repeat Bill Belichick’s success for two decades now without much to show for it. Few have managed to stick around as long as McDaniels has, though. Since he became New England’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2012, the Patriots have never finished lower than No. 7 in points scored, which happened this year. It hasn’t all been Tom Brady, either. Last year, New England’s Super Bowl run was largely fueled by a reinvigorated rushing attack. McDaniels also has previously worked as a head coach with the Broncos.
Cons: Scheme is key but culture and accountability are massively important for any coach. If nothing else, the level of trust Ron Rivera built with his players during his time in Carolina was remarkable. McDaniels put a black mark on his record by backing out of a deal to become the Colts’ head coach a couple offseasons ago. Players will remember that and it will eat into his credibility wherever he goes. McDaniels and McCarthy both have questions in his intangible area.
Baylor head coach Matt Rhule
Status: Reported interest
Pros: Team owner David Tepper says he wants a younger coach who is going to embrace new ways of thinking and analytics. That would make a candidate like Rhule better suited than those we have listed thus far. Plucking a coach from the college ranks is a risky proposition, but when it pays off it can bring revolutionary changes in a good way. If you need evidence, look at what the Cardinals have done in just one year with an innovative young coach like Kliff Kingsbury. Hiring Rhule or someone like him would mean the Panthers are actually thinking outside the box instead of just paying lip service to the idea like they usually do.
Cons: That said, for every Kliff Kingsbury who makes it in the NFL after a good college run there are a dozen coaches who crash and burn in the pros. Managing grown men who are professionals paid at the highest level is far different than coaching unpaid college athletes. Say what you want about McCarthy and McDaniels, but they at least know what it’s like to lead a locker room. That transition can be daunting for some. In any case, it sounds like Rhule is either going to land with the Giants or stay right where he is.
The wild card candidates
The previous four names are the ones with solid reporting attached to them. There are no doubt a number of candidates we don’t know about who are in the running for Ron Rivera’s old job. Assuming Tepper is telling the truth about wanting an offensive coach, we can infer a few candidates who might also be in the race.
Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman has done special things with Lamar Jackson this year, but he’s apparently only gotten one request so far and it wasn’t from the Panthers. Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is another popular offensive name going around, but has yet to be connected with the Carolina job.
Interim coach Perry Fewell is also interviewing for the job, but the way the last month went we would be very surprised if he gets hired.
