Frank Reich agreed to terms to become head coach of the Carolina Panthers on January 26, 2023, becoming the sixth head coach in the history of the franchise.
He most recently served as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-22.
Reich has more than 30 years of NFL experience as a player (1985-1998) and a coach (2006-present), including serving as the Panthers first starting quarterback in franchise history after singing with the team during it's inaugural season in 1995. Reich threw the first touchdown pass in franchise history.
As head coach of the Colts, Reich led the team to the playoffs twice and guided the Colts to 41 wins, including two years with 10-plus wins (2018 and 2020). It marked his second stint as a coach with the Colts, rejoining the team after spending six years on the coaching staff from 2006-2011.
In 2021, Reich and the Colts compiled a 9-8 record and ranked ninth in the NFL in points per game (26.5 avg.). Indianapolis recorded the No. 2 rushing offense in the league with an average of 149.4 yards per game led by Jonathan Taylor who posted one of the best single-season performances by a running back in team history. Taylor led the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,171), rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18). His rushing yardage and rushing touchdown total also set franchise single-season records. Indianapolis finished with a 1,000-yard rusher (Taylor) and 1,000-yard receiver (Michael Pittman Jr. - 1,092 yards) in the same season for the first time since 2016. Reich guided a defensive unit that ranked second in the league with 33 takeaways and tied for a league-high 14 fumble recoveries. The Colts were the only team in the AFC with three players (linebackers Bobby Okereke and Darius Leonard, and defensive back Kenny Moore II) each recording at least 100 tackles. Leonard led the NFL with eight forced fumbles (tied for second in Colts history since 1994) and Moore II was one of only two NFL defensive backs to register 100 tackles and at least 10 passes defensed in 2021. Indianapolis tied for the most Associated Press All-Pro choices (five) and led the NFL with seven players named to the Pro Bowl.
The 2020 NFL season brought uncertainty amid a global pandemic. As teams adjusted to a virtual offseason and a vastly different look to training camp and the regular season, which included safety protocols implemented in team facilities and reduced fan capacity at games, Reich did not waver and led one of the league's youngest teams to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. Indianapolis fell just short of advancing past the Wild Card round following a three-point loss on the road against Buffalo.
The Colts were just one of four teams to finish in the top 10 in overall defense (eighth) and offense (10th). Indianapolis registered its third consecutive top-10 run defense (2018-20), marking the first time the team had accomplished that feat since 1975-77. The offensive line tied for the second-fewest sacks allowed and paved the way for rookie running back Jonathan Taylor to rank third in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,169. The Colts registered back-to-back seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time since 2003-05. Quarterback Philip Rivers ranked 10th in the league in passing yards (4,169) and passed Dan Marino (420) for the fifth-most touchdown passes in NFL history in the regular season finale against Jacksonville. The Colts also tied for the most Associated Press All-Pro selections (six) and First-Team All-Pro choices (four).
In 2019, the Colts finished with a 7-9 mark and registered a top-10 rushing attack for the first time since 2001 as Indianapolis boasted the league's seventh-ranked rushing offense (133.1 yards per game). Running back Marlon Mack finished the season with 1,091 yards on the ground to become the first Colts player to register a 1,000-yard rushing season since 2016. Continuity along the offensive line was key as Indianapolis was the only team in the NFL to start the same five offensive linemen in all 16 regular season games. The unit tied for the ninth-fewest sacks allowed in 2019.
In his first season at the helm, Reich led the Colts to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 after finishing with a 10-6 record. After starting the season with a 1-5 mark, the Colts won nine of their last 10 games and became just the third team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and make it to the playoffs. What's more, Indianapolis was the second team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and win a playoff game.
Reich became just the third head coach in Colts history to win a playoff game in his first year. He was named AFC Coach of the Year for the 2018 season by the NFL 101 Awards. The Colts finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in offensive points per game (27.1) and defensive points allowed per game (21.5). They were just one of four teams to rank in the top 10 in both categories. Indianapolis also ranked seventh in the NFL in net offense (386.2 ypg) and sixth in passing (278.8 ypg). Defensively, the Colts were just one of three teams not to allow a 100-yard rusher in the regular season. The unit also forced at least one turnover in a league-high 15 regular season games. Darius Leonard was named the 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year, Andrew Luck was selected as the 2018 Comeback Player of the Year and Leonard and Quenton Nelson became the first pair of rookie teammates to earn Associated Press All-Pro honors since Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus did so with the 1965 Chicago Bears.
Reich spent the 2016-17 seasons as offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles and was instrumental in the team's Super Bowl LII championship following the 2017 season. The Eagles started 2017 in dominant fashion under the direction of Reich and his offense. Quarterback Carson Wentz started the first 13 games of the season, led the team to an 11-2 record and was in the running for NFL MVP after completing 265-of-440 passes for 3,296 yards with 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions for a 101.9 passer rating. Philadelphia would face extreme adversity in a Week 14 contest at the Los Angeles Rams as Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury toward the end of the third quarter. Thrust into the spotlight for Wentz, who was leading the NFL in touchdown passes at the time of his injury, was veteran quarterback Nick Foles, who is now reunited with Reich entering the 2022 season. Foles would start the final three contests of the regular season and guided the Eagles to a 2-1 record and a first round bye in the playoffs.
In postseason play, Foles led Philadelphia to underdog wins over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional round, the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII for the team's first-ever Super Bowl championship. He was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 28-of-43 passes for 373 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 106.1 passer rating. Foles also caught a one-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter and became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for and catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl.
The Eagles boasted one of the NFL's best offenses in 2017. Philadelphia ranked in the top 10 in numerous categories, including yards per game (365.8 – seventh), rushing yards per game (132.2 – third), interception rate (1.60 – sixth), first downs per game (21.1 – fourth), third down percentage (41.74 – eight), fourth down percentage (65.38 – third), red zone percentage (65.45 – first), goal to go percentage (83.33 – third), average time of possession (32:41 – first) and points per game (28.6 – third).
In 2016, Reich helped then rookie Wentz make the transition from FCS-level North Dakota State to the pros. Wentz started all 16 games and completed 379-of-607 passes for 3,782 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a 79.3 passer rating. He set a franchise and then-NFL rookie record for completions. Wentz also established Eagles rookie records in pass attempts, passing yards, completion percentage (62.4 percent), passing touchdowns and passer rating.
Prior to Philadelphia, Reich spent three seasons (2013-15) with the San Diego Chargers, serving the last two as offensive coordinator. He worked closely with Rivers who hit the 4,000-yard passing plateau in three-straight seasons for a total of 13,556 yards, marking the third-most passing yards by an NFL quarterback during that span. Also during that span, Rivers threw 92 touchdowns, the fourth-highest total in the NFL, while compiling the third-most completions in the league (1,194) and recording the second-highest completion percentage (67.3).
During Reich's two seasons as San Diego's offensive coordinator, the Chargers ranked third in completions (822), fourth in completion percentage (66.2) and fifth in the NFL in net passing yards (8,869).
In 2015, Rivers led the league with a career-high and franchise-record 437 completions, while finishing second in the NFL with a career-high 4,792 passing yards. Reich's impact was immediately evident in his first season as the team's offensive coordinator in 2014, as Rivers became the first quarterback since 1960 to record a quarterback rating of at least 120.0 in five-consecutive games, all of which were Chargers wins.
Reich served as quarterbacks coach with the Chargers in 2013. In Rivers' first year working with Reich, he led the NFL with a career-high 69.5 completion percentage, while also matching his career-high 105.5 quarterback rating, which ranked fourth in the league that season. Rivers completed 378-of-544 passes for 4,478 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Before his tenure in San Diego, Reich coached wide receivers for the Arizona Cardinals in 2012, where he worked with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald caught 71 passes for 798 yards and four touchdowns en route to his seventh career Pro Bowl selection.
Reich spent the first six seasons (2006-2011) of his coaching career with the Colts as wide receivers coach (2011), quarterbacks coach (2009- 2010), offensive assistant (2008) and coaching intern (2006-07). In Indianapolis, he was a member of teams that earned five playoff appearances, four AFC South Division titles, two AFC Championships, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl title.
In 2011, Reich led a wide receivers group that worked without Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season due to injury. Despite playing with three different starting quarterbacks, Reich's two top wideouts, Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, were just one of two wide receiver duos in the NFL to each record 70-plus receptions and 900-plus receiving yards. Wayne caught 75 passes for 960 yards and four touchdowns while Garcon compiled 70 receptions for 947 yards and six touchdowns.
From 2009-2010, Reich was the position coach for Manning. Under Reich's guidance, he completed 843-of-1,250 passes for 9,200 yards with 66 touchdowns and 33 interceptions for a 95.6 passer rating. Manning was named to Pro Bowls in both seasons. In 2009, Reich's first season as quarterbacks coach, Manning was named NFL MVP after completing 393-of-571 passes for 4,500 yards with 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for a 99.9 passer rating. His 68.8 completion percentage was the best of his 18-year NFL career.
Reich began his NFL coaching career in 2006 as a coaching intern with the Colts. After two seasons in that role, he was promoted to offensive assistant in 2008.
Reich enjoyed a 14-year playing career with the Buffalo Bills, Panthers, New York Jets and Detroit Lions after being selected by the Bills in the third round (57th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft. Including postseason play, he played in 129 career games (22 starts) and completed 575-of1,036 passes for 6,858 yards and 47 touchdowns.
He spent the first 10 years of his NFL career with the Bills, where he served as a backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. During his time in Buffalo, Reich was a part of Bills teams that went to four-straight Super Bowls from 1990-93, appeared in five AFC Championships and captured five division titles.
While Reich was rarely pressed into action during his nine years backing up Kelly, the former signal caller was called upon in the 1992 playoffs after Kelly sprained his right knee in the regular season finale and was forced to sit out the first two rounds. Despite having only attempted one pass in a postseason game prior to the 1992 season, Reich made his first postseason start in the 1992 Wild Card round and engineered what is still the greatest comeback in NFL postseason history. With the Bills trailing the Houston Oilers by 32 points early in the third quarter, Reich orchestrated five second half touchdown drives, four of which were capped by touchdown passes, and led a game-winning field goal drive in overtime to defeat Houston, 41-38. Reich started the next week in a Divisional round win at Pittsburgh, and the Bills went on to make an appearance in Super Bowl XXVII.
Reich has the distinction of being the first starting quarterback in Carolina Panthers history, starting the first three games of the team's inaugural season in 1995. In the Panthers first game, he threw the first touchdown pass in team history – an 8-yard completion tight end Pete Metzelaars – against the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome on Sept. 3, 1995.
A native of Freeport, N.Y., Reich attended Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon, Pa. He played collegiately at the University of Maryland from 1981-84 where he backed up Boomer Esiason before earning the starting job as a senior in 1984. As a senior, Reich rallied the Terrapins from a 31-0 deficit to defeat the Miami Hurricanes, 42- 40. At the time, Maryland's victory over Miami marked the greatest comeback win in college football history and is now only second to Michigan State's 2006 35-point comeback over Northwestern.
Reich graduated from Maryland in 1984 with a business degree and earned Academic All-ACC honors as a senior.
After his 14-year playing career in the NFL, Reich retired in 1998 and decided to spend time with his family and join Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. He graduated and led RTS for three years and then pastored a local church prior to his coaching career.
- 1985-94 | Buffalo Bills
- 1995 | Carolina Panthers
- 1996 | New York Jets
- 1997-98 | Detroit Lions
- 2006-07 | Indianapolis Colts | Coaching Intern
- 2008 | Indianapolis Colts | Offensive coaching staff assistant
- 2009-10 | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterbacks coach
- 2011 | Indianapolis Colts | Wide receivers coach
- 2012 | Arizona Cardinals | Wide receivers coach
- 2013 | San Diego Chargers | Quarterbacks coach
- 2014-15 | San Diego Chargers | Offensive coordinator
- 2016-17 | Philadelphia Eagles | Offensive coordinator
- 2018-22 | Indianapolis Colts | Head coach
- 2023-pres | Carolina Panthers | Head coach
