Panthers owner discusses reputation of firing HCs

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Nov 28, 2023 11:52 AM ET

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper talked with reporters Tuesday morning, one day after firing head coach Frank Reich. The team announced the firing of assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown shortly after the Reich news as well.

It was also reported Monday that Tepper's habit of letting go of lead men in the early part of their tenure with the franchise caused some candidates to remove themselves from the search process last offseason.

The 66-year-old addressed that topic on Tuesday.

Reich (who was hired in January) was fired after just 11 games at the helm, with Carolina holding the worst record in the NFL at 1-10. The 61-year-old's 11-game run on the sideline was the shortest the league has seen since 1978.

Prior to his coaching career, Reich spent 13 seasons as an NFL quarterback, including the 1995 campaign with the Panthers when started the first three games in franchise history.

This is the second straight season where Tepper has cut ties with head coaches in the middle of a season. Matt Rhule was fired in October 2022 following a 1-4 start and is now the head coach at the University of Nebraska.

The owner reportedly didn't address the future of general manager Scott Fitterer during the news conference. Fitterer has been with the Panthers since 2021, a stretch where the club has gone just 13-32.

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