It has been a really disappointing season with the 1-10 Carolina Panthers. So many embarrassing moments this season and falling short of expectations with the team. With the embarrassing loss that the Panthers suffered against a terrible Titans team, a change had to be made. The Panthers have decided to part ways with Frank Reich as their head coach.
It has been quite a fall for Frank Reich these past two seasons. He went from being one of the Top 10 coaches to the league all the way to being one of the worst. Imagine saying that a few years ago.
But, yeah Reich has been done as the head coach of this team for a good bit of time now. Along with heading into week 11 with reports amounting that Reich was the hottest seat in the league, it was a matter of time. The moment his time was over was when a clearly annoyed and angry David Tepper stormed out of the locker room and was visibly upset. You can’t blame him as Tennessee is a very terrible team this year.
When assessing Bryce Young’s development, it hasn’t been smooth, and disagreements about him have persisted since the draft. While not fully confirmed, there has been speculation that Reich, the coach, was hesitant to draft Bryce Young as the 1st Overall pick and preferred C.J. Stroud over him. Despite Reich’s preference, the ownership favored Young, leading to his selection over Stroud.
While Stroud has had a better season, Young has struggled significantly with the team. However, it’s important not to give up on him just yet. Evaluating a prospect in any league, excluding hockey, typically takes 2-3 years to fully determine their potential. Young’s difficulties were exacerbated by a coach who may not have supported him from the beginning. Coaching plays a significant role in player development, and a change was necessary to boost Young’s confidence and pair him with a coach who can aid his progress. Improving the offensive line, which seemed lost within Reich’s schemes this season, could also benefit Young..
Along with the many culture issues this team has had, I bet the organization really regrets not promoting Steve Wilks after the honorable job that he did at the end of the 2022 NFL Season.
It’s evident that the game may have passed Reich by, and this could possibly mark the end of his coaching career. It seems unlikely that Reich will receive another opportunity as a head coach, especially considering he was one-and-done as the head coach in Carolina. Reich may revert to being an offensive coordinator in the league, or retirement from coaching wouldn’t be surprising either.
So as a result the new interim head coach of the team will be special teams coordinator Chris Tabor.
https://twitter.com/Panthers/status/1729150623273083146
Many people are questioning the Panthers’ decision to promote Chris Tabor to interim head coach over Jim Caldwell, but it does make sense. Some overlook the fact that Tabor served as an interim head coach in Chicago during the 2020 season. It was only for one game when Matt Nagy, the head coach, tested positive for Covid-19 and had to miss the game against the 49ers. I recall that game, and despite the Bears losing 33-22, Tabor did a commendable job as the interim coach.
However, Caldwell did receive a promotion as well. He will now serve as the special advisor to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who will take over play-calling duties for the remainder of the season. Frankly, Brown should never have had his play calling responsibilities taken away, as the offense performed better under Reich.
It will be an intriguing few weeks for Carolina. Why not try to win out the rest of the season, as the Panthers’ first-round pick belongs to the Chicago Bears due to the trade-up to acquire Young? Consequently, they can’t afford to tank the season. So, let’s observe how the team performs with this coaching change, and all eyes will be on QB Bryce Young at the end of the season.
