The Carolina Panthers have finally decided on a new head coach after officially signing a multi-year deal with Frank Reich, ex-Colts coach, find out more details.
Last season, the Panthers decided to fire their former coach Matt Rhule, and promote Steve Wilks, as their interim coach.
Carolina Panthers officially sign new head coach Frank Reich on a multi-year deal, contract details, other candidates, and more
Breaking: Former Colts HC Frank Reich is being named the new head coach of the Carolina Panthers, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/koXVwNoqrd
— ESPN (@espn) January 26, 2023
Interestingly, the Indianapolis Colts fired Reich during midseason last year after a 3-5-1 record and replaced him with Jeff Saturday.
Carolina Panthers sign new head coach Frank Reich
Although other details of the contract haven’t been revealed as of now, like his salary, Frank Reich has signed a 4-year-deal with the Panthers.
Colts are currently paying former coach Frank Reich $9 million a year through 2026, according to ESPN to take the total to $36 million.
While looking for a new head coach, the Carolina Panthers were leaning towards one with an offensive background. In fact the Panthers have never had an offensive coach before. Their most recent coach Rhule wasn’t an offensive specialist and previous coaches Ron Rivera and John Fox were defensive coordinators.
Darin Gantt, explained further on this saying:
The team agreed to terms with Frank Reich to be the sixth head coach in franchise history on Thursday, which will make him the first coach here with an offensive background. And that background, as both a player and a coach, made him an appealing choice.
The Panthers will be looking to sign a new rookie quarterback for the 2023 season and Reich’s offensive knowledge and experience will definitely come in handy.
Other candidates
Before choosing Reich, the Panthers interviewed a list of other candidates for their vacant head coaching spot, including interim head coach Steve Wilks. Given below is the full list of shortlisted candidates:
- Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys OC
- Mike Kafka, New York Giants OC
- Ken Dorsey, Buffalo Bills OC
- Ejiro Evero, Denver Broncos DC
- Shane Steichen, Philadelphia Eagles OC
- Frank Reich, ex-Colts HC
- Steve Wilks, interim HC
- Jim Caldwell, ex-Lions HC
Steve Wilks future with Panthers uncertain
Steve Wilks did an incredible job serving as the interim coach, despite the franchise’ poor roster. However, it seems like it wasn’t enough to convince the owners to hire him as the next head coach.
Currently, most NFL teams prefer to hire coaches with an offensive background, and Wilkes specialized more on the defensive side. As such, despite his phenomenal job, Wilks’ defensive leanings made him less favourable when it came down to the final decision. Wilks’ future with the Panthers now remains uncertain as to whether he will leave or what role he will play if he stays.