After recent speculation suggested he might be the front-runner for the job, on Thursday the Carolina Panthers reportedly decided to make Frank Reich their new head coach.
On Wednesday, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach met with the organization as part of a round of second interviews with top candidates. It seems that the conversation yesterday finalized the Panthers’ decision regarding who they wanted to lead their coaching staff in 2023 and beyond.
NFL Network league insider Ian Rapoport was one of the first to report that the Carolina Panthers have chosen Frank Reich to be the seventh head coach in team history.
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While interim head coach Steve Wilks and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was also believed to be strong candidates, in the end, the man who was the starting quarterback during their expansion year in 1995 will be tabbed with building a new culture for a franchise that has not had a winning season since 2017.
Carolina Panthers reportedly wanted a veteran head coach with offensive experience
Despite being fired by the Indianapolis Colts following a Week 9 loss, it did not take the former Chargers and Eagles offensive coordinator long to land on his feet and in the top job for another organization.
- Frank Reich record (Indianapolis Colts): 40-33-1
While it is a bit surprising for a recently dismissed coach to score a key job so quickly, rumors on Wednesday pointed to Reich as the odds-on favorite to win the job. The Carolina Panthers were reportedly in favor of landing a coach who had previous NFL head coaching experience — after firing former Baylor headman Matt Rhule after Week 5 — and with an offensive lean.
While interim coach Steve Wilks did an admirable job getting the team to 7-10 after losing four of their first five under Rhule, his past as a defensive coordinator for several organizations. including Carolina was not exactly what the Panthers’ front office was looking for to lead the team going forward.
Reich was the head coach of the Colts for four and half seasons, amassed a 40-33-1 record, and reached the NFL Playoffs on two occasions.