1st Down: The Carolina Panthers have parted ways with head coach Matt Rhule as of Monday, bringing an end to a tenure that was slated to run more than four more years. The Panthers moved on from Rhule after his team fell to 1-4 on the season on Sunday following a 37-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Overall, he had gone 11-27 over two seasons and some change, leading the team to get rid of the former college turnaround expert. In addition to moving on from Rhule, the team also fired defensive coordinator Phil Snow. Steve Wilks has been named interim coach.
2nd Down: With the Panthers struggling currently and in a ‘rebuild’ mindset, it looks as if they could be set to sell off some of their most valuable assets. According to sources, teams are interested in making a move for defensive stalwarts DJ Moore and Brian Burns. Though these aren’t the names many would expect at first glance, they are still significant ones and could prove to be difference makers for contenders. Another name that will undoubtedly be speculated about is Christian McCaffrey, with a range of possible suitors on the lookout for a big-time upgrade at wide receiver.
3rd Down: The San Francisco Giants are looking for new ideas at the helm of their team after a disappointing 2022, and they have decided to hire a man from one of baseball’s most consistent teams for their general manager role. Houston Astros exec Pete Putila will be the new man in charge of the team, replacing Scott Harris after his departure to Detroit last month. Putila is just 33, but he has 12 years of experience in the Astros organization and has been an assistant GM for three years.
4th Down: The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t take very long to reward Rob Thomson following his team’s victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card round this past weekend. The team announced on Monday that they had removed the interim tag from the manager, promoting him by giving him a two-year deal ahead of their clash with the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS beginning on Tuesday. Thomson helped take the team from 22-29 on June 3rd when Joe Girardi was let go to the playoffs, and they’ll be hoping there’s more where that came from.
