What were the primary catalysts behind former Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich's demise with the organization?
When Frank Reich was brought in ahead of the 2023 season, optimism was high. Despite being fired by the Indianapolis Colts part-way through the 2022 campaign, many pointed to the issues faced working under the unpredictable owner Jim Irsay and the surprise retirement of starting quarterback Andrew Luck as reasons for leeway.
A good portion of the fanbase thought Steve Wilks deserved a shot after his successful stint as interim head coach. But hiring an offensive-minded head coach was the way forward for Carolina following the unmitigated disaster that was Matt Rhule's tenure in Charlotte.
However, what played out over 11 weeks for Reich was worse than anything fans had seen in recent memory.
One does have to feel for Reich. Going from Irsay being your boss to David Tepper is most people's idea of hell. However, he did little to endear himself to fans and while the coach wasn’t fully to blame for the issues facing the Panthers, he was certainly a key factor.
The league seems to be moving in a certain direction and Reich doesn’t seem able to move with the times. After his latest failure, this was likely the experienced figure's last opportunity to be an NFL head coach.
Without further ado, let’s look at four primary catalysts that played a role in Reich losing his job.
Bryce Young's development
This was always going to be the main talking point.
After the Carolina Panthers traded up to select Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, Frank Reich's primary judgment was how the No. 1 overall pick developed. And to say his progress has been sup-optimal would be an understatement.
The Panthers were lauded for surrounding Young with an all-star coaching staff. One could argue this worked against him as too many voices were clouding the player's thoughts.
During his tenure at Alabama, the signal-caller's poise and accuracy were evident, throwing just 12 interceptions in his collegiate career. Reich’s time at the helm saw mistakes from Young that we hadn’t seen during his footballing career to date, resulting in eight interceptions and just nine passing touchdowns.
For a so-called offensive-minded head coach, the unit deployed under Reich was one of the worst around the league. Young went over 200 yards passing just four times throughout his brief tenure.
The writing was on the wall for Reich when he took back play-calling from offensive coordinator Thomas Brown just three weeks after giving it up. One can only hope long-term damage hasn’t been done to Young from his short stint under a man who was the first Panthers quarterback almost three decades ago.
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper's petulance
If there’s one positive that has emerged from the firing of Frank Reich, it’s that the wider NFL world is finally realizing that the real issue with the Carolina Panthers is team owner David Tepper. Rumors have been abundant over the past week from national media detailing just how involved the billionaire is in the day-to-day running of the football operation.
Reich gave us an insight into that when he revealed his weekly meetings with the owner. One just has to look at how the former head coach has aged from his introductory press conference to his post-game presser after Carolina's loss at the Tennessee Titans to see how working for Tepper takes its toll.
For someone will little footballing knowledge, he is simply too involved. Tepper should simply be signing the cheques and allowing his football people to make football decisions.
Reports are already circulating that Tepper wants another offensive-minded head coach to help develop rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Hopefully, it'll be third time lucky when it comes to a permanent head coaching hire.
Unfortunately for Panthers fans, until Tepper either sells the team or takes a back seat these issues will continue to be prevalent. If nothing changes, his promise of bringing winning football to the Carolinas will continue to be a hollow one.
Carolina Panthers staff failed to mesh
The Carolina Panthers and Frank Reich were praised this past offseason. On both sides of the ball, the team built what many were touting as one of the league's best coaching staff teams.
Carolina was predicted to be the perfect place for a rookie quarterback to succeed. What followed was failings from the offensive staff, which likely played a part in Reich’s demise.
The likes of Josh McCown and Duce Staley didn’t have the desired impact in coaching the quarterbacks and running backs respectively. This was part of the reason interim head coach Chris Tabor parted ways with both coaches earlier last week.
Many fans were questioning the role of Jim Caldwell under Reich. It’s only since his removal that the former Detroit Lions head coach has taken a more prominent role.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown arrived with high praise from his former boss Sean McVay. But he's flattered to deceive in his short time with play-calling duties.
Some questionable late-game play calling in the Week 13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers left fans perplexed. With a new head coach likely bringing in his staff, this is Brown showcasing his abilities to the rest of the league and he must do better.
As the man at the helm, ultimately it is down to Reich to coach the team. It’s clear from his 1-10 record he had simply not done that to a high enough standard. But it’s certainly fair to say he has been let down by players and coaches alike.
Carolina Panthers front office failings
While Frank Reich did little to impress during his tenure with the Carolina Panthers, the front office - mainly general manager Scott Fitterer - should not be void of criticism. His time also looks to be coming to a miserable end.
Under the tutelage of Matt Rhule, many felt the general manager held little power. This led fans to be more lenient regarding Fitterer.
However, with Rhule now in Nebraska, the spotlight has been firmly on Fitterer and his front office. They’ve done little to make fans think they’ll be with the Panthers long-term.
A litany of poor free agency and draft selections this offseason put Reich in no position to succeed. The likes of D.J. Chark, Hayden Hurst, and Miles Sanders have made no impact since being brought in. And in terms of the draft, Jonathan Mingo and Chandler Zavala - despite being given the chance to start - have done little to inspire confidence.
Fitterer and his team have shown - especially in the draft process - that they have a real issue with evaluating talent. Whoever the head coach is, the Panthers must have a general manager whose scouting department can do the job correctly.
The smart move for the Panthers would be to move on from Fitterer and allow a new front-office figure to lead the head coaching search. But can one trust David Tepper to make the logical decision?