Getty Image / David K Purdy
Matt Rhule has done one hell of a job at Baylor. He took over a program in an extremely bad situation and has quite literally built things back from the ground up. Add that to the fact that he turned Temple’s football program around prior to taking over Baylor in 2016, and you’ve got a name that’s been tossed around NFL coaching rumors for quite some time.
Those rumors have only gotten louder thanks to the Bears going 11-2 this season. He was recently a guest on Adam Schefter’s podcast and the possibility of him taking an NFL job came up in 2020, which he didn’t completely shut down and gave a very honest answer.
“I don’t think I’m dumb enough or naive enough to say that I would never be an NFL coach. I just think for me I have such an unbelievable situation here that it would have to be next to perfect, and even then it would be hard for me to do.”
What’s interesting about this situation is that it’s not the first time Rhule has failed to shut down the NFL coaching rumors surrounding him.
Rhule was mentioned as a candidate for the New York Jets head coaching job this past offseason before Adam Gase took the position. After all of those pieces fell into place, Rhule spoke with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and again tip-toed around the idea of leaving the university for a shot in the NFL.
“I’ll give you the most real answer I can give you: When I took the job at Baylor I said that I felt we had been called to come to Baylor,” he said. “I try to pray about it and meditate about it. Do the things I’m supposed to do.
“I plan on being at Baylor for as long as that’s where the Lord wants me to be. If at some point he wants me to do something else, stop coaching, then I’ll go do that.”
While it’s not a definitive ‘yes, I’m looking to leave Baylor for a better job’ it’s rather clear that it’s at least something that’s been in his mind over the past couple of years.
It wouldn’t be too big of a surprise if we see Rhule in the NFL at some capacity sooner rather than later.