The NFL-worst Carolina Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich on Monday after a 1-10 start to his frustrating first season guiding the club, team owner David Tepper said Monday.
Tepper named Panthers special teams coordinator Chris Tabor as interim head coach for Carolina's final six games of the campaign.
The change came hours after the Panthers lost 17-10 at Tennessee.
"I met with Coach Reich this morning and informed him that he will not continue as head coach of the Carolina Panthers," Tepper said in a statement.
"Effective immediately, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor will serve as our interim head coach. Senior assistant Jim Caldwell will be a special advisor to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who will take over play-calling duties."
The Panthers rank 30th in the 32-team league in total offense and passing yards and 29th in scoring. They have not produced more than 13 points in a game since their lone win, a 15-13 home triumph over Houston on October 29.
Carolina hired Reich, 61, last January after he spent five seasons coaching the Indianapolis Colts before being fired after a 3-5 with one drawn start last year. His overall NFL coaching record is 41-43-1.
Reich became only the third NFL coach to be fired during the season in back-to-back campaigns, following Chip Kelly (Philadelphia and San Francisco) and Ray Rhodes (Philadelphia and Green Bay).
Bryce Young, the top overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, has struggled in his debut season for Carolina with weak blocking and a weak rushing attack, 29th in the NFL at 92.6 yards a game.
Reich had handed off play-calling duties to Brown then took them back, but neither man could lift Carolina's attack from the doldrums.
The Panthers have a minus-119-point scoring margin, second-worst in the NFL, and trail Arizona (2-10) for the league's worst record.
They also surrendered their 2024 top NFL Draft pick, set to be number one overall, to obtain Young.
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