The Carolina Panthers have fired Frank Reich, just 12 weeks into this first season at the helm of a woefully disappointing roster.
Reich's firing comes hours after a league source speculated to FanBuzz that the 61-year-old was "done" in Carolina, and one day after the Panthers looked completely punchless in a 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon. At 1-10, Reich departs with the Panthers entrenched last place in the NFC South.
Among Reich's biggest missteps with the Panthers was selecting Bryce Young, after Carolina traded a bounty to move up to the No. 1 overall pick with the Chicago Bears, over C.J. Stroud. Perhaps a bigger indictment on Reich's failures is the fact that Young simply hasn't taken meaningful steps in his development, while Stroud is playing at an MVP caliber level for the Houston Texans.
Now, after abject failures as the Indianapolis Colts head coach, and spending less than one season in Carolina, Reich will likely be relegated to offensive coordinator roles moving forward.
Here's a look at five potential fits for Reich as an offensive coordinator:
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers showed some signs of life in their first game since firing Matt Canada, but it isn't likely that interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner will wind up securing that role full-time. Meanwhile, presuming Pittsburgh plans to move forward with quarterback Kenny Pickett, head coach Mike Tomlin might be drawn to Reich's background at the position and the impact Reich had on transforming Carson Wentz from a middling rookie quarterback to an MVP caliber player in his second NFL season. Meanwhile, Andrew Luck had the best seasons of his career under Reich's tutelage.
2. Buffalo Bills
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On the opposite end of the quarterback spectrum from Pickett and Pittsburgh is Josh Allen's erratic inconsistency and turnover prone nature. There's a very real possibility that Joe Brady winds up coaching his way into the Bills' full-time offensive coordinator. However, Reich is a hometown hero in Buffalo, and his experience as a play-caller combined with his success getting the most out of Andrew Luck could make him an attractive option to both call plays for Allen and perhaps help cut down on his turnovers.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles could be a dark horse landing spot for Reich, if Philadelphia moves on from offensive coordinator Brian Johnson this offseason. While the Eagles are 10-1, creating separation between themselves and the rest of the NFC's contenders, the offense has been a series of fits and starts. Plagued by slow starts to games, the Eagles have come back from 10-point deficits each of the past four weeks, to win. If Jalen Hurts, and more importantly head coach Nick Sirianni, do not believe that Johnson is capable of getting the most out of Philadelphia's abundance of weapons, perhaps the Eagles will view Reich as an upgrade, specially in the quarterback room.
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4. Los Angeles Chargers
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There is a very real possibility that Brandon Staley will be the next head coach shown the door, which would make the Chargers head coaching job one of the most attractive in the league, especially given the presence of quarterback Justin Herbert. In all likelihood, the Chargers would target an offensive-minded head coach, and if that is the case, Reich could wind up being the ideal offensive coordinator to work almost exclusively with Herbert while being likely freed from the responsibility of calling plays.
5. Chicago Bears
Another franchise that will likely be starting over with a new coaching staff, and in all likelihood with Caleb Williams or Drake Maye at quarterback in 2024, is the Chicago Bears. Reich's temperament would make him an ideal fit for a Midwest market like Chicago. Likewise, if the Bears wind up hiring a young up-and-coming head coach — even one with a background on offense, Reich could wind up being the veteran presence on the coaching staff and in terms of aiding in developing Chicago's next franchise quarterback.
