Sean Payton Calls Panthers HC Job 'Attractive' After Matt Rhule Firing

The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule on Monday, and anytime a job in the NFL becomes vacant, one name almost immediately pops up—former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

He appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Monday and gave his thoughts on the opening.

"I think it's attractive," he said.

The big question for the Panthers moving forward won't just be the next head coach, with Steve Wilks serving as the interim head coach. It will also be who the team brings in to be the next quarterback.

Baker Mayfield will be a free agent after the 2022 season and has struggled in five games, throwing for 962 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions while completing just 54.9 percent of his passes.

Sam Darnold will also be a free agent after this season but certainly didn't put his best foot forward as the team's starter in 2021, throwing for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games, completing just 59.9 percent of his passes. The Panthers were 4-7 in his starts. He remains on the injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.

So while the Panthers job may have its upsides, the quarterback situation is a question mark.

"Whoever's next at Carolina is looking at that," Payton told Cowherd. "Is it in the draft? Do we have a hold-the-fort guy in free agency until we find it in the draft? Or is there a guy we like in free agency that we feel can be a good player?"

Payton, 58, was tethered to future Hall of Famer Drew Brees during the majority of his time in New Orleans after the Saints signed Brees in 2006. Brees was a major factor in Payton's 152-89 record as a head coach, which included nine playoff berths and a Super Bowl title in the 2009 season.

So he knows how important a franchise quarterback is for a head coach, though he did take the Saints job before Brees was with the organization.

If the Panthers continue the way they are going this season, though, the Panthers should find themselves in a prime position to add a quarterback in the draft.