The Carolina Panthers have had a disappointing season. A season ago the Panthers fired Matt Rhule, they had hired Frank Reich as his replacement. The new coach didn’t even make it a full season. After a 1-10 record through just 11 games, Reich becomes the shortest tenure as a head coach in NFL history. The Carolina Panthers announced the firing early Monday.
When Frank Reich was hired, the Panthers had bypassed interim head coach Steve Wilks, who went 6-6 in his stint. The Panthers have announced that Special Teams coordinator Chris Tabor will finish out the season as the interim head coach. The longtime NFL coach has served as a head coach for one game in the past.
The Panthers 2023 first-round draft pick Bryce Young, who they believe is a franchise cornerstone, has struggled mightily this season. In nine games, the young QB has thrown for just 1877 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s also thrown for eight interceptions. If the current group of coaches can’t figure out how to make him better, that responsibility will fall on the new head coach next season.
Reich joins a short list of one-and-done coaches which includes Urban Meyer, Nathaniel Hackett, Jim Tomsula and Bobby Petrino. There is a chance that Reich could work his way back to a coaching role. While, things didn’t work out in Carolina, he did post a 40-33-1 record over five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
Three Candidates for the Panthers Coaching job:
This might all be dependent on how Tabor does as the interim coach and if the Panthers believe he could lead the team moving forward. However, the Panthers organization also needs to think about stability. Changing coaches every few years will not attract star players.
Ben Johnson, Lions OC
The Lions Offensive Coordinator accrued some interest from the Panthers last offseason. After arriving in Detroit in 2019 as a Quality Control Coach, he had been heavily involved in the passing game. Through three seasons, he has not only helped Jared Goff reach pro-bowl status again, but has also helped Dan Campbell propel the Lions into playoff contention. He’s also a Carolina native, so he could be highly interested in the position.
Brian Johnson, Eagles OC
The Eagles have one of the best offenses in the NFL. Johnson has worked with Jalen Hurts and has played a crucial role in his development. Before arriving in Philadelphia, he enjoyed a successful three-year stint with the Florida Gators. As the OC, he led them to a prolific passing offense (387.6 ypg) in the FBS while ranking seventh in total offense (509.8 ypg) and eighth in scoring offense (39.8 ppg).
Dan Quinn, Cowboys DC
If the Panthers want more of a defensive-minded coach, Quinn is a good option. The Cowboys have had on of the best defenses in the NFL under Quinn. He has some experience as a head coach with the Atlanta Falcons, who he led to the Super Bowl in 2017. He has a 43-42 record as a head coach.
Click here for more NFL news.
Follow Fantom Sports on Twitch.
Follow Fantom Sports on the Newsbreak App.