Nebraska Coach Matt Rhule Makes Surprise Cameo on HBO's 'Lanterns'
The Cornhuskers' head coach appeared in a scene recruiting a fictional player to the team.
Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule made an unexpected appearance in the season finale of HBO's drama series "Lanterns," portraying himself in a scene where he recruits a fictional player to the Cornhuskers.
The cameo occurred on Sunday night, just hours after the Nebraska Cornhuskers defeated Maryland 48-23, marking their fifth consecutive win and their first 5-0 start to the season since 2016. The team is currently tied with Indiana and UCLA as the only undefeated Big Ten teams.
In the televised scene, Rhule is shown giving a Nebraska hat to Noah Macon, a main character in the series played by Shea Pritchard. This interaction reveals that Macon, a highly recruited player, will play college football for Nebraska, incorporating a minor storyline from the show about his college commitment.
Rhule, who joined Nebraska in November 2022, previously served as the head coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022. He was dismissed by the Panthers during the 2022 season after a 1-4 start. He signed an eight-year, $74 million contract with Nebraska, which was later extended in 2025 to keep him with the university through 2032. Rhule has yet to achieve more than seven wins in a single season as Nebraska's head coach. The team is scheduled to host Indiana next Saturday.