Panthers fire Frank Reich during 1-10 season
The Carolina Panthers have fired Frank Reich after 11 games, owner David Tepper announced Monday morning.
Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as interim coach.
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 27, 2023
The move comes two weeks after Reich took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Thomas Brown – three games after delegating responsibility to Brown in Week 8. Carolina fell to 1-10 on Sunday in a 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Brown will resume offensive operations with senior assistant Jim Caldwell as special advisor, Tepper said.
GO DEEPER
A stadium takeover, a 3 TD loss for Panthers. Is history about to repeat itself?
At 11 games, Reich’s tenure is the second-shortest in NFL history for a head coach who coached a regular-season game. The San Francisco 49ers fired Pete McCulley after a 1-8 start to the 1978 season.
(Two head coaches didn’t make it past the regular season; Bill Belichick resigned as coach of the New York Jets after one day in 2000, while George Allen was fired by the Los Angeles Rams after two preseason games in 1977.)
The Panthers hired Reich in January and traded up in March for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young. Under Reich, however, Young has posted a 74.9 passer rating, the worst of the three QBs selected in the first round. The Panthers also rank 30th in the NFL with 265.9 yards per game on offense.
Reich took over for interim coach Steve Wilks, who was promoted after Carolina fired Matt Rhule after a 1-4 start to the 2022 season. The Panthers have the worst record in the NFL after going 7-10 in 2022.
Carolina traded its 2024 first-round pick to the Chicago Bears in the trade that netted Young.
Reich previously went 40-33-1 in four-plus seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, reaching the playoffs twice and winning one postseason game. He was fired after a 3-5-1 start to the 2022 season.
The Panthers are the second team to make a coaching change this season, joining the Raiders, who fired Josh McDaniels after eight games.
What was Reich’s downfall?
Tepper was sold on Reich’s offensive qualities and his ability to bring in a large staff that included former coaches (Caldwell, Dom Capers) and several newcomers. The idea was that Young would have a building full of QB whisperers. Except it didn’t last.
The Panthers were near the bottom of the league offensively, Young struggled and the offense did not improve after Reich reclaimed the play-calling from Brown. Reich appeared defeated after Sunday’s loss to Tennessee, where Tepper dropped an F-bomb and shook his head after leaving the locker room. – Joe Person, Panthers staff writer
GO DEEPER
Panthers anemic and 1-10 record led to the only choice: firing Frank Reich
Who will Tepper target?
Monday’s announcement did not address the future of general manager Scott Fitterer, who is thought to be on shaky ground after failing to provide Young with enough playmakers. It is expected that Tepper will again pursue an offensive-minded coach.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was his first choice last winter before Johnson ruled himself out. Tepper will almost certainly make another run at Johnson and don’t be surprised if he tries to make a splash with someone like Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh or New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
But Tepper’s history of firing coaches and being hands-on could give proven coaches pause. – Person
Required reading
(Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)