The Indianapolis Colts are not done with Frank Reich after all.
Becoming the first coach named to a head coaching position this hiring cycle, the Carolina Panthers announced on January 26 that Reich will be their next head coach.
Going to the NFC, the Colts won’t have to worry about facing their former coach very often. But the Colts will meet Reich and the Panthers in a matchup at Carolina during the 2023 season.
Reich Joining Former Team as Head Coach
It’s fitting that Reich will be Carolina’s next head coach. He started the franchise’s first game in 1995 and tossed the first touchdown in Panthers history.
Video: new Panthers head coach Frank Reich throwing the first TD pass in franchise history to TE Pete Metzelaars back in 1995.
Voiced by the legendary Chris Berman.
Reich started three games for the Panthers in 1995, all of them losses. He threw for 441 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions in those games.
Of course, that wasn’t why the Panthers hired him as head coach.
Reich went 40-33-1 as Colts head coach from 2018-22. In five seasons, he led Indianapolis to two playoff appearances and two double-digit win seasons. He also won a playoff game in 2018.
When Reich arrived in Indianapolis, Andrew Luck was the team’s franchise quarterback. But after Luck shockingly retired, the team began a quarterback carousel that ultimately helped contribute to Reich’s firing.
The wheels came off Reich’s offense in Indianapolis during 2022. But in his first four seasons, the Colts finished in the top half of the league in points scored every year. They were also in the top half in offensive yards in three of those four seasons.
Offense has been an issue in Carolina for a long time. The Panthers haven’t been better than 19th in yards or 20th in points since Ron Rivera’s last full season in 2018.
The Panthers chose Reich for head coach over Steve Wilks, who served as Carolina’s interim head coach after the franchise fired Matt Rhule on October 10.
Carolina went 6-6 under Wilks.
Update on Colts’ Coaching Search
With Reich landing in Carolina, there are four head coach openings remaining. That includes the opening with the Colts.
Indianapolis has conducted a wide spread search. While that search has narrowed the past few days, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 25 that the Colts still have seven candidates they are pursuing.
The list of seven candidates, who will all have second interviews with the Colts, includes interim head coach Jeff Saturday.
Colts’ interim HC Jeff Saturday is scheduled to have his second interview today for the full-time head coaching job in Indianapolis, per sources.
The Colts plan to conduct a second round interviews with seven HC candidates, per source.
The Colts are expected to continue interviewing candidates through the final days of January. It will likely be at least another week until there’s any final decision on who will be the next head coach in Indianapolis.
Colts second-round interview schedule:
– Jeff Saturday was yesterday
– Ejiro Evero is today
– Raheem Morris is tomorrow
– Dan Quinn is on Saturday
Then the conference title games are Sunday, and we could see 3-4 more finalists added to the list.
Saturday went 1-7 as interim head coach after replacing Reich, but he’s still considered one of the favorites to land the head coaching job in Indianapolis.
CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reported on January 25 that Colts owner Jim Irsay “still has a desire” to hire Saturday.
In Indy, I’m told Jim Irsay still has desires to hire Jeff Saturday, but some who work w/ the owner or have his ear, while feeling Saturday is a great person—are not in favor of him as a HC, per source. We’ll see if the #Colts make it through the list of expected 2nd interviews.
If Saturday becomes Indianapolis head coach, the Colts-Panthers matchup in 2023 will certainly be one to circle. Irsay told the media that he called Saturday to ask him if he wanted the head coaching job before firing Reich in November.
Reich never took his firing personally, at least publicly, but it will be interesting to see if the former Colts head coach might say anything about his final few months in Indianapolis during the week leading up to the matchup.
Furthermore, it’s possible that Reich could court some of Indianapolis’ other coaches to his staff in Carolina. That could mean a lot of familiarity between the players and coaches in the matchup.
Colts are scheduled to play a road game against the Panthers next season. Lot of players + staff in Indy still very close with Frank Reich.
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Former Colts Head Coach Frank Reich Lands New Job