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Rex Ryan: Frank Reich seems to have aged 10 years with the Panthers
Rex Ryan and Dan Orlowski responded against the Panthers by firing Frank Reich after 11 games with the team.
of The Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Frank Reich, it was announced Monday.
The Panthers are coming off an NFL-worst 1-10 record — including an 0-6 mark on the road — and are facing a sixth straight losing season since owner David Tepper bought the team in 2018 for $2.275 billion.
“I met with Coach Reich this morning and informed him that he will no longer be the head coach of the Carolina Panthers,” Tepper said in a statement. “I want to thank Frank for his dedication and service to me, and we wish him well.”
With Reich calling the plays, the Panthers scored 15 or fewer points Sunday for the fifth straight week and seventh time in 11 games. Quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft that Carolina traded two first-round picks to acquire star wide receiver DJ Moore, ranks last in the NFL in total QBR and has been sacked 40 times, tied for fifth in sacks in his first 10 games since most by a player in 1963.
“What are you going to do?” Reich, who has a career record of 41-43-1, said after Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans. “You’re 1-10. Are you going to feel sorry for yourself? Is there something that will magically fix everything? No.”
Special teams coach Chris Tabor has been named the team’s interim head coach, while offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will handle the play-calling duties along with senior assistant Jim Caldwell.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, there have only been 6 NFL head coaches who have not completed their first season with a team, three of which have come in the past three seasons – Urban Meyer, Nathaniel Hackett and Rich.
Reich, who was fired as head coach by the Indianapolis Colts in November 2022, was hired by the Panthers to a four-year contract in January to replace Matt Rhule. In four-plus seasons in Indianapolis, Rich was 40-33-1, 1-2 in the postseason.
Reich went to four Super Bowls as a player with the Buffalo Bills, where he was primarily a backup. As a coach, he won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2017 season as offensive coordinator.
In the year In 2017, Reich helped Carson Wentz go 11-2 with MVP-caliber numbers before a season-ending injury, and Nick Foles was named Super Bowl MVP in a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots.
He also worked with future Hall of Fame quarterback Philip Rivers with the then San Diego Chargers and Colts.
ESPN’s David Newton contributed to this report.