Panthers Also Firing QB Coach Josh McCown & RB Coach Duce Staley

Panthers owner Dave Tepper reached his limit with the team’s struggles after the Week 12 loss to the Titans, firing HC Frank Reich after just 11 games. 

Staley and McCown are also getting the boot along with Reich as the Panthers seek better production from the offense. Ian Rapoport reports the decision was made by interim HC Chris Tabor and senior offensive assistant Jim Caldwell.

McCown, 44, is a former third-round pick of the Cardinals back in 2002. He played for several teams including the Lions, Raiders, Dolphins, Panthers, 49ers, Bears, Buccaneers and Browns before signing a one-year, $6 million contract with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2017.

The Jets brought McCown back on a one-year contract worth $10 million for the 2018 season. McCown later joined the Eagles on a one-year contract in 2019. 

The Eagles signed McCown out of retirement and added him to their practice squad at the start of the 2020 season. Houston later added him to their active roster.

After retiring for good, McCown drew some interest for the Texans head coaching job before eventually being hired by the Panthers as their QB coach ahead of the 2023 season. 

For his career, McCown has completed 60.2 percent of his passes for 17,727 yards, 98 touchdowns and 82 interceptions. He has also rushed for 1,105 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Staley, 47, was drafted by the Eagles in the third round out of South Carolina in 1997. After a 10-year playing career with the Eagles and Steelers, Staley returned to Philadelphia as a coaching assistant in 2011. 

Staley has held a number of different positions with the Eagles under multiple coaching staffs, including RB coach since 2013, and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2018.  

He later joined the Lions’ coaching staff as an assistant HC and RB coach under HC Dan Campbell in 2021. He left to take the same position with the Panthers in 2023. 

We’ll have more on the Panthers coaching staff as the news is available.