NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Matt Rhule, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski said he’s eager to break Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez‘s record of 31 games with over 100 receiving yards. Gronkowski currently has 30. 

“Let me tell you, I’m trying to break that record,” Gronkowski said, via NFL.com. “I mean, why wouldn’t I try to break that record? I’m coming for it. Tony, I’m coming for it. Basically, you got every record so I’m coming for this one and it’s a pretty cool one, too, for sure. It just shows that I guess you’re a baller and Tony’s a baller.”

• The Buccaneers protected four players on their practice squad ahead of Week 13: K Jose Borregales, WR Breshad Perriman, TE Darren Fells and CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson. (Greg Auman)

Panthers

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes that even as a college coach, Panthers HC Matt Rhule was always open about his goals of getting to the NFL, so he doesn’t see him taking any of the open college positions.
• Now if things don’t work out in Carolina, Breer adds Rhule will have plenty of interest at the lower level given his success at Temple and Baylor.  
• The Athletic’s Joe Person says Rhule is getting interest from colleges with coaching vacancies but adds he doesn’t get any sense Rhule is looking to leave. However, Person points out that could obviously change if the Panthers struggle in 2022. 
• The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman confirms that Rhule doesn’t have any interest in the University of Oklahoma job. 
• The Panthers don’t know if CB Donte Jackson needs surgery to address his groin injury. (Person)

Saints

• Saints RB Mark Ingram (knee) said he’s “100 percent healthy” and ready to play in Week 13’s Thursday night game. (Nick Underhill)
• Saints HC Sean Payton said they want to observe QB Taysom Hill (foot) in Wednesday’s practice before announcing who is starting. (Underhill)
• Payton said their decision will be between Hill and Trevor Siemian: “We’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see. We want to see how Taysom is doing tomorrow. Obviously we’re trying to get him back off this foot. It’ll be either he or Trevor.” (Katherine Terrell)
• Payton said that Hill’s foot injury has gradually improved after missing last week’s game: “Last week when that topic was brought up, I just knew it wouldn’t be right to put him back there with the shape his foot was in at the time. It’s gotten better. I’m going to see how tomorrow goes. We’ve got a lot of time before we play.” (Terrell)
• Hill mentioned that doctors indicated that he sustained a partial tear in his foot. However, their medical staff told him that it would’ve been better to suffer a full tear. (Terrell)
• Hill added that he would be “ready to go” if the game was on Tuesday night. (Terrell)