Matt Rhule is known across college football for his demanding coaching style, leadership and ability to rebuild struggling programs. Away from the football field, however, his most important role is a much more personal one.
Rhule and his wife, Julie Rhule, are parents to three children: son Bryant Rhule and daughters Vivienne Rhule and Leona Rhule.
The Rhule family has spent years moving through different stages of Matt’s coaching career, from his time coaching in college to his work in the NFL and his return to college football. Through those changes, his wife and children have remained an important part of his life.
While the family generally keeps some personal details private, the children have occasionally appeared around their father’s teams, at sporting events and during family moments.
Their interests are also not limited to football. From baseball and basketball to creative activities and ballet, each of the Rhule children has developed interests of their own.
How Many Children Does Matt Rhule Have?
Matt Rhule and Julie Rhule have three children.
Their oldest child is Bryant Rhule, followed by Vivienne Blake Rhule and their youngest daughter, Leona Rhule.
The children have grown up around sports because of their father’s profession, but Matt and Julie have worked to give them a life beyond football.
That distinction is important for a coaching family.
A head coach can spend long hours at work, travel frequently and deal with enormous pressure during a season. For the Rhule family, making time for normal family experiences has remained important despite the demands of the job.
The children have attended games and other sporting events, but they have also enjoyed vacations, outdoor activities and time together away from the stadium.
Who Is Bryant Rhule?
Bryant Rhule is Matt and Julie’s oldest child.
He was born in Asheville, North Carolina, around 2004 or 2005, during the earlier part of his father’s coaching career.
Bryant developed an interest in sports while growing up, with baseball becoming one of his notable interests.
He participated in Little League and has been connected with events surrounding youth baseball, including the Little League World Series.
Growing up with a football coach as a father naturally meant Bryant was also exposed to football from an early age.
He has enjoyed spending time with Matt around the sport, including attending NFL games and sharing activities together. Their relationship has included simple father-son moments as well, such as fishing trips.
Those experiences give a glimpse into Matt Rhule away from the pressure of coaching.
For a coach whose professional life can become all-consuming, spending time with his son doing ordinary activities can be just as meaningful as being on the sidelines.
Bryant’s Love of Baseball
Although his father is deeply associated with football, Bryant’s interest in baseball shows that he has been able to develop his own sporting identity.
His involvement in Little League gave him an opportunity to compete and enjoy the game without being defined by his father’s career.
The Little League experience also exposed him to a different sporting environment.
Baseball requires patience, concentration and individual responsibility, while also demanding teamwork. Those qualities can be useful for any young athlete.
At the same time, Bryant has remained close to football because of his family background.
Having a father who has spent decades around the sport means football is naturally part of the family’s everyday conversations.
Who Is Vivienne Rhule?
The Rhules’ second child is Vivienne Blake Rhule, who was born in March 2013.
Vivienne has been described as having a creative and artistic personality.
She has also participated in sports at a young age, including Tee Ball, giving her another connection to athletics within the family.
Her interests appear to be a mix of sports and creative activities, showing that the Rhule children have not all followed exactly the same path.
Vivienne has also been associated with Baylor women’s basketball, which makes sense given the important role Baylor played in her father’s coaching career.
During Matt’s time at Baylor, the school became a major part of the Rhule family’s life. His children had opportunities to see the excitement surrounding college athletics firsthand.
For Vivienne, watching basketball was another way to experience the sporting world that surrounded her family.
Who Is Leona Rhule?
Leona Rhule is the youngest of Matt and Julie’s three children.
She was born in 2015 and grew up alongside her older brother and sister.
As the youngest member of the family, Leona has been described as playful and close to her siblings.
She has also shown an interest in ballet, giving her a hobby that is quite different from her father’s football career.
At the same time, Leona has grown up around basketball and football because of her family’s connection to college and professional sports.
She has occasionally appeared in family moments wearing team clothing, including Baylor basketball jerseys.
Those appearances have offered fans a small look at the family side of Matt Rhule.
The Rhule Children Grew Up Around Sports
One common thread among the Rhule children is their exposure to athletics.
Their father has spent much of his adult life coaching football, while the children have had opportunities to participate in or watch different sports.
But their interests are not identical.
Bryant developed a strong interest in baseball. Vivienne has shown an artistic side while also enjoying sports such as Tee Ball and basketball. Leona has explored ballet while supporting the teams connected to her father.
That variety is important because it shows that Matt and Julie have allowed their children to explore their own personalities.
Being the child of a well-known coach can come with expectations, especially when people assume that the children will follow the same path.
The Rhule family appears to have given each child room to find their own interests.
Family Life During Matt Rhule’s Coaching Career
Matt Rhule’s career has taken his family through several locations and major football programs.
He has coached at Temple, Baylor and in the NFL, before returning to college football.
Each job brought different demands.
There were long workdays, recruiting responsibilities, travel and game preparation. Yet the family has continued to make time for shared experiences.
The children have attended their father’s games and other football events, giving them a firsthand look at what his profession requires.
They have also spent time together away from football, including family vacations and everyday activities.
For Matt, those moments can provide a break from the intense demands of being a head coach.
Matt and Julie Rhule’s Approach to Family
Matt and Julie Rhule have worked to maintain a family environment in which their children can grow while their father manages a demanding career.
Julie has been an important part of the family’s stability throughout the different stages of Matt’s professional life.
Having three children while managing the schedule that comes with major college and professional football is not always simple. Games, practices, recruiting and travel can dominate a coach’s calendar.
That makes family time especially valuable.
The Rhule children have been able to experience their father’s career closely, but they have also been encouraged to enjoy interests outside football.
That balance has helped keep the family connected despite the pressures surrounding Matt’s work.
The Family Behind the Football Coach
When fans think about Matt Rhule, they usually think about football.
They see the coach on the sideline, making decisions during games and working to build successful teams. But behind that public role is a father of three who has spent years watching his children grow.
Bryant, Vivienne and Leona have each developed their own personalities and interests.
Bryant has explored baseball while also sharing a love of football with his father. Vivienne has combined creativity with an early interest in sports. Leona, the youngest, has shown an interest in ballet while growing up surrounded by college athletics.
Their childhood has naturally been influenced by Matt’s coaching career, but it has not been completely defined by it.
For the Rhule family, the most important part seems to be spending time together and supporting one another.
Final Thoughts on Matt Rhule’s Children
Matt Rhule’s career has taken him through some of the biggest stages in football, but his family remains a major part of his life away from the sideline.
With Bryant, Vivienne and Leona, Rhule and his wife Julie have built a family that has grown up around sports while still allowing each child to develop individual interests.
Bryant’s baseball background, Vivienne’s creative side and Leona’s interest in ballet show three different personalities within the same family.
Their father’s career may have given them a unique view of professional and college sports, but the family moments away from football appear just as meaningful.
For Matt Rhule, being a coach is a major part of his identity. Being a husband and father, however, is the role that follows him home.