Bio Blast: Get to Know New Panthers Coach Frank Reich
On Thursday, the Panthers finally ended their search for the team's next head coach, announcing Frank Reich as the man hired for the job. Reich was reportedly amongst interim head coach Steve Wilks and Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for the job's finalists.
So who are the Panthers getting as their next coach?
Reich grew up in Lebanon, Pennsylvania before heading to the University of Maryland as a quarterback in 1980. He performed well enough there to be selected 57th overall in the 1985 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. Mostly known as Hall of Famer Jim Kelly's backup during his 14-year career, Reich also spent time playing for the Jets, Lions, and Carolina Panthers.
Reich is a name Panthers fans might especially remember, having been the starting quarterback in the team's inaugural game in 1995. Reich threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns en route to an overtime loss to the Falcons.
Reich got his start in coaching in 2006 when he joined the Indianapolis staff as an intern. From 2006-2011, Reich acted in various roles within the offense, most notably being Hall of Famer Peyton Manning's positional coach in 2009-10.
With stops in Arizona as a wide receiver coach for a unit that included Larry Fitzgerald, and quarterbacks coach in San Diego with Phillip Rivers' Chargers, Reich is certainly not short on first-hand coaching experience with some of the most talented players seen this century.
Ultimately his experience and success led to him seeing offensive coordinator roles with the Chargers in 2014-15, and the Eagles in 2016-17. Reich saw so much success as offensive coordinator of the Eagles in 2017, the team won Super Bowl LII with Nick Foles playing in-place of starter Carson Wentz. Although Wentz's season was cut short due to injury, Reich's offense had the young quarterback looking like an MVP candidate through the 13 games he played.
This Super Bowl run made Reich one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the following off season, leading to his first chance to run his own team with the Indianapolis Colts.
Reich coached four full seasons with the Colts before his firing nine games into the 2022 season. In those full seasons, Reich led the Colts to a winning record three times, with the sole losing season being a 7-9 campaign that directly followed Andrew Luck's surprise retirement from the NFL.
Despite patchwork quarterback play after Luck's retirement with the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Sam Ehlinger, Reich was able to consistent put together competitive teams.
Known for his quarterback-friendly offenses, the Panthers are getting a well-respected mind who is dedicated to his craft. In his four full seasons as a head coach, Reich offenses ranked 5th, 16th, 9th, and 9th respectively in scoring despite the aforementioned quarterback issues on the roster.
For a Panthers team that has seen its own quarterback issues over the same time period, a coach that knows how to get things done regardless of the players on the roster is certainly a welcome addition.
It remains to be seen who will be joining his staff in Carolina, but Reich reportedly had conversations with several coaches about joining him in Carolina before he was even hired. Many eyes will be on who the offensive-minded coach brings in to lead the defense, as well as whether he plans to do the play calling himself or bring in another coach to do so.
Reich is inheriting a Panthers team that just narrowly missed the playoffs behind the remarkable turnaround under interim Steve Wilks, finishing 7-10 on the season. The franchise as a whole though has seen only one winning season since 2015's Super Bowl run, and never back-to-back winning seasons since the teams conception in 1995.
With a young roster with strong players to build around like DJ Moore, Ikem Ekwonu, Brian Burns and more, as well as the 9th-overall pick in the upcoming draft, Reich will is certainly in a spot to flourish once some much-needed additions are injected to the situation.
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