Carolina Panthers hire Frank Reich as new head coach to reunite with franchise’s first starting quarterback | NFL News

Frank Reich becomes the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers, the franchise’s first starting quarterback; Reich was fired from his position as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2022 campaign

Frank Reich returns to where he made history as the franchise’s first quarterback

Frank Reich was named the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.

Reich becomes the sixth head coach in the history of the Panthers having previously served as the first starting quarterback for the franchise in 1995.

The 61-year-old received a second interview with owner David Tepper and the team’s search committee this week.

He joins the Panthers after being fired nine games by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2022 season. He hit a 40-33-1 record over four seasons at Indianapolis and guided the club to two appearances after the season. prize.

Steve Wilks served as interim coach of the Panthers after replacing Matt Rhule, who was fired on October 10 after starting 1-4.

Carolina finished 7-10 and has missed the knockout stages in each of the five seasons since Tepper brought the franchise in 2018 to the NFL’s then-record $2.275 billion.

Reich is considered an offensively minded coach who has explicitly signed the Panthers’ first four head coaches in franchise history.

Dom Capers, George Seifert, John Fox and Ron Rivera are all promoted as defensive coordinators, while Rhule is not seen as making a difference as offensive or defensive coaches. Wilks’ background is also about defense.

The Panthers’ passing errors ranked 29th in yards per game (176.2) this season, while the team averaged just 20.4 points per game, placing it 20th in the league.

Reich will hold a team that is floundering in midfield.

Former No. 1 Baker Mayfield was made his debut on December 5, and Sam Darnold, who was selected two turns behind Mayfield in the 2018 NFL Draft, threw just 16 touchdowns along with 16 interceptions in 18 games in two season with Carolina.

The Panthers hold the No. 9 spot overall and could look to tackle the quarterback in the NFL Draft.

Sky Sports NFL is your dedicated channel for NFL coverage throughout the season – showcasing a range of NFL Network programming. Don’t forget to follow us on skysports.com/nflour Twitter account @SkySportsNFL & Sky Sports – on the go!