Less than a day after leaving the locker room after Sunday’s 17-10 defeat to the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper dismissed coach Frank Reich on Monday.
Reich left Carolina with an NFL-worst 1-10 record, which included a 0–6 road record. Along with becoming the first NFL head coach to be dismissed in back-to-back seasons since the 1970 merger, he was fired by the Indianapolis Colts last year.
Reich, who has a 41-43-1 career record, told The Charlotte Observer on Monday, “There’s a heart-pounding disappointment in not hitting the marks that we needed to hit to keep this going and try to get it turned around.” “It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches and the fans.”
Reich said that at a face-to-face meeting with Tepper on Monday morning, he was informed that he was being let go.
“I met with Coach Reich this morning and informed him that he will not continue as head coach of the Carolina Panthers,” Tepper said in a statement. “I want to thank Frank for his dedication and service, and we wish him well.”
While Reich said to the Observer that he was not finished as a coach, “this is probably the final chapter of my NFL journey.”
Chris Tabor, the special teams coach, has been named the team’s acting head coach. Thomas Brown, the offensive coordinator, will call plays with assistance from senior assistant Jim Caldwell.
Along with Josh McCown, the quarterbacks coach, and associate head coach Duce Staley, the Panthers also dismissed McCown on Monday.
Tepper plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. On Monday, there won’t be any team availability.
Only six NFL head coaches have not finished their first season with their club since the merger, according to ESPN Stats & Information data. Three of those coaches, Urban Meyer (Jaguars), Nathaniel Hackett (Broncos), and Reich, did not complete their first season with their franchise.
Reich, who turns 62 next week, was let go after the offense failed to score 15 points or fewer for the seventh time in 11 games and the fifth consecutive week.
Reich took back playcalling responsibilities from Brown only three games after Brown had given them to him, and the offense has scored just 10 points in each of the last two games.
Tepper walked out of the locker room after Sunday’s game, shaking his head in anger, and many reporters heard him shout, “F—!”
Reich said to The Charlotte Observer, “I want to convey that I have nothing but positive thoughts about Mr. Tepper.” “I saw a part of him that I really care about and respect on a personal level. The NFL, however, is a meritocracy. It’s not love at first sight. I recognize that, in his capacity as a professional, Mr. Tepper will have expectations that he wants fulfilled. I don’t hold any grudges, and our private friendship was the high point of our brief time together.”
Since Tepper purchased the Panthers for $2.275 billion in 2018, the franchise has lost six consecutive seasons. The Panthers’ record since then is 30-63 (.323), which is only worse than the New York Jets.
After their performance on Sunday, the Panthers were ranked 30th in the NFL in both passing yards per game and overall offense.
For Reich, who was hired in January because of his offensive ability, it wasn’t good news.
In addition, Reich was brought in to help rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the first overall selection in 2023, after Carolina traded wide receiver DJ Moore and two first-round choices to the Chicago Bears in order to jump from ninth to first place.
With a rating of 32.0, Young is ranked 29th in the NFL in terms of total QBR. In addition, his 74.9 passer rating is at the bottom of the league, and he has been sacked 40 times in his first 10 games—tied for sixth most among all players since sacks were first recorded in 1963.
Reich and McCown were in charge of developing Young, but that never occurred. Anticipate that Caldwell, a former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, will be heavily involved in that in his new position.
Staley oversaw a running attack that is tied for worst in rushing touchdowns with three and sits close to the bottom of the league with 1,019 yards (92.6 pg). He was Reich’s assistant head coach in addition.
The degree of displeasure among Carolina fans has been evident in their sales of enough tickets to visiting team supporters in two home games (Dallas and Minnesota) to make Bank of America Stadium seem like a home game for them.
Tepper was not pleased with any of it, which led to Reich’s in-season termination for the second year in a row in 2022. The Colts had fired Reich after a 3-5-1 start in 2022.
“It was a fantastic chance,” Reich said to the Observer. “It was incredible how the doors opened, but not every narrative has a happily ever after. I find solace, tranquility, and fortitude in the knowledge that there is still another chapter left in my life. That is what I really think.”
Tepper has sacked his head coach during the season for the second year in a row. Following a 1-4 start, Matt Rhule was let go last year.
Early in their investigation, Tepper and his search committee focused on Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. After Johnson informed clubs that he would remain in Detroit, Reich became the front-runner because to his familiarity with offensive systems, his capacity to develop a young quarterback, and his ability to assemble a seasoned staff.
In January, he signed a four-year contract. Approximately $25 million will be his debt to the Panthers, insiders said ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“I want to say that I believe there is a strength and character of leadership in that locker room that is at such a high level and is so strong, that there’s no doubt in my mind that there is a foundation for all the success that this team is going to have,” Reich said to the Observer. “… This ends in an extremely disappointing fashion, but I will always be a Panthers fan.”
As a player, Reich played in four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills, mostly as a backup. Following the 2017 season, in which he served as offensive coordinator, he was a coach and helped the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl.
In 2017, Reich assisted Nick Foles in winning the Super Bowl MVP in a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots, and Carson Wentz in going 11-2 with MVP-caliber stats before suffering a season-ending injury.
Along with the then-San Diego Chargers and Colts, he also worked with future Hall of Fame quarterback Philip Rivers.
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