Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start

By Greg Auman
Updated Nov 27, 2023 3:11 pm EST

For the second year in a row, Carolina's head coach hasn't made it to the end of the season.

Frank Reich was fired Monday after the Panthers struggled to a 1-10 record and saw continued offensive issues around rookie quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Carolina also reportedly fired QB coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach/RB coach Duce Staley. Special-teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as the team's interim head coach. 

Reich's dismissal is the quickest a new coach has been fired since 1978, when the 49ers let Pete McCulley go after a 1-8 start.

"I want to thank Frank for his dedication and service, and we wish him well," owner David Tepper said in a statement posted on social media Monday morning.

After Sunday's loss to the Titans, Tepper came out of the Panthers locker room and reportedly shouted an expletive, if his frustration wasn't already glaringly clear. 

Carolina had managed to score the same or fewer points in six straight weeks, managing 24, 21, 15, 13, 13, 10 and 10 points in their last seven. Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will take back offensive play-calling duties for the remainder of the season, as he had for three weeks before Reich resumed that role two weeks ago.

"There's a heart-pounding disappointment in not hitting the marks that we needed to hit to keep this thing going and try to get it turned around," Reich told The Charlotte Observer. "It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches and the fans."

Reich, who turns 62 on Dec. 4, also added: "This is probably the final chapter of my NFL journey."

Reich was the first hire of last offseason, and now he's the second firing in the NFL this year, following the Raiders and Josh McDaniels. This will allow the Panthers to be out in front again in the hiring process — the success the Houston Texans have had this year with DeMeco Ryans came as their fourth head coach in as many seasons, an expensive way to find the right leader.

The Panthers have the worst record in the NFL, but won't have a high draft pick to show for it. They sent their 2024 first-round pick to the Bears as part of a massive package to trade up for the No. 1 pick and add Young this spring.

Carolina fired coach Matt Rhule after just five games and a 1-4 record last year, improving under interim coach Steve Wilks and barely missing a division title. Reich has now been fired two years in a row, following his dismissal by the Colts last season.

Greg Auman is FOX Sports' NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.