The Carolina Panthers' search for their next head coach is over. Former Indianapolis Colts boss Frank Reich is taking over for the 2023 season, via Ian Rapoport. Coincidentally enough, he was also the first-ever quarterback for the franchise back in 1995.
This comes as a bit of a surprise after how well Steve Wilks did in 2022 after stepping in for Matt Rhule. Wilks make an immediate impact for the Panthers as they went 6-6, just missing out on the playoffs. The final decision was reportedly between Wilks and Reich.
Hopefully, Carolina can still keep Wilks around on the staff because it's clear that the locker room has a lot of respect for the way he goes about his business. As for Frank Reich, he had four winning seasons in five years with the Colts, with their best finish coming in 2020. Indy went 11-5 and lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Game.
After a 3-5 start this past season, the Colts fired Reich and hired Jeff Saturday. We all know how that turned out. Reich only spent one year with the Panthers as a player in 95′ before moving on to the Detroit Lions and New York Jets. Nevertheless, it's still rather nostalgic that he returns to the franchise where he once played QB.
As a coach, Reich has a Super Bowl ring after serving as the offensive coordinator in 2017 for the Philadelphia Eagles. He's actually the first HC in Carolina history with an offensive background, therefore it's an interesting choice. Panthers fans will be praying he can be a difference-maker.
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