4 positives and negatives from the Carolina Panthers hiring Frank Reich

Frank Reich’s Colts teams were inconsistent and mediocre

Frank Reich’s tenure with the Indianapolis Colts was a mixed bag, despite his respectable 40-33-1 record. He did not make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons despite the weak AFC South and the talent he was able to work with. The figurehead did not finish with a record better than 11-5.

• 2018: 10-6 record, losing in the divisional round
• 2019: 7-9 record, no playoffs
• 2020: 11-5 record, loss in the wild-card round
• 2021: 9-8 record, no playoffs
• 2022: 3-5-1 record, fired after nine games

Some of the blame can be put on not having a franchise quarterback. But even with Andrew Luck as his signal-caller in 2018, the Colts finished 10-6. And based on his recent history in Indianapolis, Reich’s teams have had a low ceiling of success.

Not everything can be put on the head coach, and there is a good chance Reich’s tenure with the Carolina Panthers will go better, but finishing every campaign around a .500 record without any conference championship appearances or division titles is concerning.

Conclusion to the Carolina Panthers’ hiring Frank Reich

Reich was the best choice outside the organization to become Panthers’ head coach. He is aggressive, offensive-minded, and knows how to get the most out of his quarterbacks.

However, Steve Wilks had the entire team behind him to become the permanent choice after his stint as interim head coach in 2022. While Reich’s track record as a head coach is respectable, his Colts teams did not reach too much success during his time in Indianapolis.

Despite those concerns, Reich was still a solid hire. He will lead the Panthers toward being a competitive franchise that can compete with anyone – something that has been missing since Ron Rivera led the charge.