Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines after the team relieved Frank Reich, Josh McCown, and Duce Staley of their duties?
There is never a dull moment where the Carolina Panthers are concerned. After another woeful offensive display at the Tennessee Titans, head coach Frank Reich was fired by team owner David Tepper. This was swiftly followed by the departures of quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley for good measure.
This might be the beginning of another dramatic offseason of change - one nobody anticipated following such outlandish predictions before the campaign. There was a lot to unpack, with the stories causing debate including Reich's reflection, Tepper facing the music, a frontrunner emerging for the newly vacant head coaching gig, and Greg Olsen declaring his surprising interest in the job.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carolina Panthers owner to face the music
David Tepper pulled the plug on Frank Reich's time as head coach after one win in 11 games, which represents another failed gamble from a man who cannot seem to get things right as an NFL owner. The billionaire came in for scathing criticism across the regional and national media once the news broke, which is deserved and must lead to a serious shift in approach.
We haven't heard publicly from Tepper since he basked in the glory of the Carolina Panthers' trade up to No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft for quarterback Bryce Young. But the team confirmed he'll speak with the media this morning at 10.30 a.m. ET along with interim head coach Chris Tabor.
There will be some difficult questions, one suspects. But it's about time Tepper faced the music after the owner's latest decisions blew up in his face yet again.
Get your popcorn ready…
Frank Reich's disappointment
Frank Reich cut a forlorn figure during his time as Carolina Panthers head coach. Things turned sour pretty quickly and after taking back play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Thomas Brown brought no improvements, it seemed inevitable that David Tepper would pull the plug on this experiment ahead of time.
Speaking exclusively to Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer after the news became public knowledge, Reich was obviously filled with disappointment. The experienced figure also acknowledged that might be the end of his long association with the NFL as a player and coach.
"There’s a heart-pounding disappointment in not hitting the marks that we needed to hit to keep this going and try to get it turned around. It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches and the fans. I want to convey that I have nothing but positive thoughts about Mr. Tepper. On a personal level, I saw a side of him that I deeply respect and care about. But the NFL is a meritocracy. It’s not unconditional love. It was a great opportunity. The way the doors opened up for it was amazing. But there’s not always a storybook ending…. I also take comfort and find peace and strength that there is a next chapter of my life. I do believe that. I do believe God ordains our steps. This is probably the final chapter of my NFL journey."Frank Reich via Charlotte Observer
Reich is a stand-up guy and nobody should wish him anything but the best moving forward. However, having good intentions and implementing a plan for progress are two different things.
It seemed as if the game passed Reich by, especially on offense. Rumors of wanting C.J. Stroud before Tepper got involved are moot - the Panthers vastly underachieved under his leadership and he paid the price accordingly.
Greg Olsen interested in Carolina Panthers vacancy
Speculation is already gathering pace about who would be crazy enough to work for David Tepper during the next head coaching cycle. But at the end of the day, there are only 32 top positions to go around.
That should lead to interest despite Tepper going through head coaches like old socks. One surprising name came to the fore yesterday afternoon, with The Athletic stating former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen would be interested if approached by the team.
"Ex-Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, the color analyst on Fox’s No. 1 NFL crew, would be interested in the Panthers’ vacancy if he were approached, according to sources close to Olsen who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely. [David] Tepper would face public backlash if he were to pursue Olsen, much like the Houston Texans did when they interviewed Josh McCown for their head-coaching vacancy in consecutive hiring cycles. McCown, who had been a volunteer assistant at his sons’ high schools in Charlotte and Texas, joined Frank Reich’s Panthers staff as the quarterbacks coach last winter. He was let go by interim coach Chris Tabor on Monday in the wake of Reich’s firing."The Athletic
This would be contentious, to put it mildly. Olsen is beloved among the Panthers' franchise after a glittering playing career, so tarring himself to a coaching position considering how long it might take to get this franchise back to prominence is unwise.
Olsen is currently thriving as FOX Sports' lead analyst, although that could change when Tom Brady begins his record-breaking deal. As The Athletic stated, going down this route would not be well received given his lack of NFL coaching experience.
Carolina Panthers interested in Ben Johnson?
One early frontrunner has emerged with sportsbooks to become the next Carolina Panthers head coach. Ben Johnson is gaining a strong reputation as a shrewd offensive mind, which has only flourished further after he opted to stay with the Detroit Lions when it seemed like a promotion could be in the offing.
The Panthers requested an interview with Johnson during the last cycle and was reported to be their top target. However, the offensive coordinator turned this down despite his strong connections to the area.
Johnson is the favorite to take the plunge among sportsbooks, with the likes of Jim Harbaugh and Eric Bieniemy also high on the list of potential possibilities. This was a sentiment echoed by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, who said there wouldn't be a great deal of shock around the league if David Tepper made another play for the Detroit play-caller.
"The Panthers targeted Lions OC Ben Johnson a year ago before he opted to stay in Detroit. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they made another run at him, among others."Tom Pelissero via X/Twitter
Carolina is going to shoot their shot, one suspects. However, Johnson is going to be the hottest commodity on the head coaching trail early in 2024, so he might have the pick of destinations when it's all said and done.
Given the current state of affairs in Carolina and the jobs that could be available, Johnson would need to be absolutely convinced that Tepper's meddling isn't going to harm his career prospects moving forward. But money talks, too.