Failed Panthers HC Gets Another Shot, but That's Bad News for Jets

Frank Reich may have been a victim of Carolina Panthers' ownership's impatience. He was not given the same leeway that Dave Canales got the very next season, as Reich was fired after 11 games.

However, Reich was also an utter disaster. Bryce Young looked totally unplayable in his offense, and the team was averaging under 16 points with a 1-10 record. If ever a coach deserved to be fired after so few games, it was probably Reich.

Source: the Jets are hiring former Panthers and Colts HC Frank Reich as their offensive coordinator. Reich also was Stanford’s interim head coach last season, but now he returns to the NFL. pic.twitter.com/W8uN5VAsQn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 4, 2026

He rebounded with Stanford, but he didn't have much success there. Now, he's the newest New York Jets offensive coordinator, but that should not be exciting news for them.

Ex-Panthers coach Frank Reich is not a good hire for the Jets

Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich reacts in the third quarter | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

A lot of things went awry with Frank Reich in 2023. For one thing, the offense was utterly devoid of talent. They had a rookie QB, and not a particularly good one, a bad offensive line, mediocre running backs, and zero good pass-catchers.

Still, Frank Reich did not help himself. His play-calling was bad. He seemingly refused to lean into the strengths his players did have. There was a rumor, an unproven one, that he refused to incorporate RPOs to play to Bryce Young's strengths from college.

Regardless, he just didn't have it with the Panthers. Dave Canales took some time to get Young going again, but he unlocked a level of play that would've been completely impossible with Reich.

It's a little surprising that he's getting another shot in the NFL, even if it's just as an offensive coordinator. He hasn't had a good offense in years, and his coaching skills obviously leave a bit to be desired.

He's been watching Young from afar and has been highly supportive, so he seems like a good man. Reich is just not a good football coach at this stage.

The Jets don't have a QB plan right now. They may end up with Ty Simpson in the draft or Justin Fields for another season. Regardless, bringing in Reich to helm an offense run by either one of those two is far from exciting.

If it's Simpson, maybe he will fit Reich's scheme better than Young did. It's unlikely Reich will mold his offense to work around Simpson since he didn't or couldn't do it with Young.

If it's Fields for a second season, Jets fans may as well start looking to the 2027 class of QBs. Fields is not good, but a great offensive mind could probably get good results out of him. Reich really isn't that.

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