Perhaps fueled by a sad game of musical chairs under center, the Indianapolis Colts’ firing of Frank Reich came as an early surprise in 2022. But how much will a pretty decent track record at the helm appeal to the Carolina Panthers?
Before his dismissal, Reich was a proven winner with the Colts, regardless of his signal caller. He pushed his teams to a combined record of 40-33-1 with a handful of past-their-prime quarterbacks between 2018 and 2022.
Reich also served as offensive coordinator under Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson during the team’s 2017 Super Bowl run. He was key in their fourth-ranked scoring offense and eye-opening playoff run, which involved some creative play calls with then-backup quarterback Nick Foles.
His work helps send the point home that regardless of the player under center, Reich has fielded respectable to elite offenses. In his first four seasons with the Colts, Reich’s groups finished no worse than 16th in the league.
The hiring of Reich would bring stability and consistency to both the offense and the leadership position. Plus, his experience with quarterback carrousels will give him the upper hand should he be forced into that situation until the Panthers find “their guy.”
Such a decision would fulfill both owner David Tepper’s desires for an offensive wiz and an experienced leader at the spot, making Reich a top candidate for the job.
