Frank Reich: Panthers Fire Head Coach Following Devastating 1-10 Record
The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich less than a full season into his tenure, marking an abrupt end to his coaching era, the team announced Monday. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper swiftly removed coach Frank Reich from his position on Monday, a move triggered by the owner's palpable frustration following the team's 17-10 defeat against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Sunday.

Reich's departure comes less than 24 hours after Tepper was heard expressing his discontent with an expletive in the locker room, ESPN noted.

The head coach's tenure with the Panthers concludes with an NFL-worst 1-10 record, coupled with an unfortunate 0-6 mark on the road. His dismissal also marks a dubious distinction as the first NFL head coach since the 1970 merger to be fired in consecutive seasons, following his departure from the Indianapolis Colts last year.

"It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches, and the fans," Frank Reich said, expressing regret for not meeting performance expectations.

Reich has a career record of 41-43-1.

Tepper confirmed the decision in a statement, thanking Reich for his dedication and service while wishing him well.

Panther's former head coach learned of his termination during an in-person meeting with Tepper on Monday morning.

Despite expressing a desire to continue coaching, Reich acknowledged that this might be the final chapter of his NFL journey.

Frank Reich and the Panthers

Frank Reich officially joined the Panthers on January 26 of this year, following his mid-season dismissal by the Colts in 2022.

His 11-game run with Carolina marks the shortest tenure for an NFL head coach in the last 45 years, per CBS Sports. The last time a first-year coach was let go this swiftly was in 1978, when Pete McCulley lasted just nine games for the 49ers.

This marks the second consecutive season that the Panthers have terminated a head coach mid-season, following Matt Rhule's departure last year after a 1-4 start.

Tepper, who acquired the Panthers in May 2018, has overseen six head coaches: Ron Rivera, Perry Fewell (interim, 2019), Matt Rhule, Steve Wilks (interim, 2022), Frank Reich, and Chris Tabor (interim, 2023).

The team is now poised to welcome its seventh head coach.

Under the new NFL rules, the Panthers must wait until after the divisional round of the playoffs (week of January 22) to conduct in-person interviews with head coaching candidates currently employed by other teams.

Frank Reich's firing makes him the second head coach dismissed this season after the Raiders parted ways with Josh McDaniels on October 31.

Panther's Performance Under Coach Frank Reich

Frank Reich's coaching tenure with the Panthers was marred by offensive struggles, characterized by subpar blocking, a lackluster run game, and a receiver corps lacking playmakers, per NFL's website.

The performance of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young added to the challenges, displaying poor habits and limited playmaking ability amid the team's losses.

The Panthers' offense, under Reich, ranks among the bottom four in scoring (15.7; 29th) and total offense (265.9; 30th) in 2023.

The rushing game, averaging 92.6 yards per game (29th), has scored only three rushing touchdowns, tying for the fewest in the league.

The team sits with a -119 point margin (31st) and has scored 15 or fewer points in seven games (T-second-most in NFL) this season.

Given the significant investment in Young, including the surrender of a 2024 first-round pick (currently No. 1 overall), the Panthers' ownership evidently doubted Frank Reich's ability to foster the desired progress in the young quarterback.

The responsibility of reshaping the narrative in the final six games now falls on Brown and Caldwell.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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