(Charlotte) The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich on Monday after the team compiled the NFL’s worst record so far this season at 1-10.
The decision came the day after the Panthers lost 17-10 to the Tennessee Titans, their fourth in a row. The Panthers are 0-6 this season on the road.
Owner David Tepper hired Reich to fix the team’s offensive problems, which have been recurring for several seasons, and to develop their first pick, Bryce Young, who was obtained in return for four draft picks and the star wide receiver DJ Moore last offseason. Tepper hoped to set the table for his team’s numerous appearances in the Super Bowl.
The Panthers instead secured a sixth straight losing season since Tepper purchased the team in 2018 for $2.275 billion.
Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as the Panthers’ interim head coach.
PHOTO JACOB KUPFERMAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Chris Tabor will be the interim head coach of the Panthers.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will call plays for the team, while Jim Caldwell will be his special advisor.
Tabor will become the Panthers’ fifth interim head coach since Tepper purchased the team. He fired Matt Rhule early last season and replaced him on an interim basis with Steve Wilks.
After the conclusion of the campaign, Tepper hired Reich, who had been fired the previous season by the Indianapolis Colts. The Panthers then languished at the back of the pack in most statistical columns on offense.
Reich agreed to a four-year pact with the Panthers that was set to expire after the 2026 season.
By virtue of their record, the Panthers could win the first pick in the next NHL draft. This choice, however, was ceded to the Chicago Bears, in the transaction which allowed them to obtain Young.