NFL teams are no longer afraid to fire their head coaches after just one season. In 2021 and 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos didn’t even wait until the end of the year to part ways with Urban Meyer and Nathaniel Hackett, respectively.
Now that the Carolina Panthers are 0-5, could Frank Reich be the next head coach to join that ignominious list?
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How Long Is Frank Reich’s Leash With the Panthers?
The Panthers and owner David Tepper conducted an exhaustive search before hiring Reich as their head coach this offseason. Carolina interviewed nine candidates and was linked to several other high-profile names, including University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Reich, fired by the Indianapolis Colts midway through the 2022 campaign, knew he was entering a rebuilding situation. And Tepper — who fired head coach Matt Rhule after four 2022 games and then failed to promote interim HC Steve Wilks — also knew 2023 could be a long season.
But 0-5 is a different beast, especially when No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and the rest of the Panthers’ offense has looked as poor as it has.
Will Tepper stand by while Carolina continues to lose games? Reich doesn’t seem to think so, even though the Panthers’ owner hasn’t asked Reich to make any changes to his staff.
“There’s different philosophies in ownership,” Reich said Monday. “Some owners kind of stay away and don’t engage a whole lot. Other owners do.
“(Tepper’s) philosophy is, he’s gonna engage.
“Listen, it’s only been a short experience, but it’s been a really good experience. It hasn’t been fun … I wouldn’t characterize them as fun meetings. But those meetings make me better, and I trust they make us better.”
This is troubling to say the least.. pic.twitter.com/Pxx3f592ru
— Michael Rimmer (@avl_mike) October 9, 2023
Finding a win on the Panthers’ upcoming schedule is difficult. They won’t be favored against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, and post-bye games against the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts will also be challenging.
Maybe Carolina can pick up a victory against the Chicago Bears, who just managed their first win of the season in Week 5. The Bears have had their struggles, but their offense has looked far more productive than the Panthers’ output.
MORE: NFL Offense Rankings 2023
“He wants to bring a winner to the Carolinas,” Reich said of Tepper. “He wants it now. He pushes me, and pushes us, to that end.
“He wants to do whatever it takes, turn over every stone, churn it as much as he has to to produce winning football. So I appreciate those conversations. They’re always very challenging. He’s a super-competitive person. He’s not going to sit idly by.”
The Panthers’ Bryce Young Problem
Reich and Tepper aren’t about to admit this, but Young’s struggles could conceivably be driving a wedge between the two men and underlying the Panthers’ ongoing offensive struggles.
Young was not believed to be a unanimous selection for Carolina. Even after the Panthers acquired the No. 1 pick from the Bears in early March, the club was still deciding who it would select with its new choice.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested in March, Tepper was thought to be a fan of Young, while Reich may have preferred C.J. Stroud, who ultimately went second to the Houston Texans.
Me: I really hope the Panthers don’t ruin Bryce Young
Tepper back in April: pic.twitter.com/n60bVj4yCJ
— Damion Felder (@panthers_nation) October 6, 2023
Stroud has looked like an NFL quarterback from Day 1. He’s helped the Texans to a 2-3 record, averaged nearly 300 passing yards per game, and has yet to throw an interception.
Meanwhile, Young has appeared wholly overwhelmed. Among 33 qualifying quarterbacks, Young ranks 30th in EPA per dropback and 32nd in adjusted net yards per attempt.
He’s also already missed one game due to injury. With veteran backup Andy Dalton under center for that contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina set season-highs in points (27) and yards (378).
Did the Panthers draft Sam Bowie when Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley (Anthony Richardson) were still on the board? Only time will tell, but Young’s early-career production has left a lot to be desired.