The Carolina Panthers fired Frank Reich as head coach on Monday, but they were not finished there.
The Panthers made two other significant staff changes Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach and running backs coach Duce Staley were also let go by the team.
The #Panthers also fired QB coach Josh McCown and assistant head coach/RB coach Duce Staley, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 27, 2023
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network added that the decisions were made by interim coach Chris Tabor, who was given the role following Reich’s firing earlier in the day.
The decisions to move on from #Panthers QBs coach Josh McCown and RBs coach Duce Staley were made by interim coach Chris Tabor and offensive assistant Jim Caldwell, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 27, 2023
McCown and Staley are both pretty big names, and not just because they each had lengthy NFL careers. McCown has been viewed as potential head coaching material, so the team’s decision to let him go is noteworthy. It also suggests that he is at least partly being made to take the fall for Bryce Young’s rocky rookie season.
The Panthers are 1-10, and there are certainly concerns about Young’s future, especially with CJ Stroud excelling for the Houston Texans. Considering owner David Tepper’s vulgar reaction to Sunday’s performance, these changes can’t come as a massive shock.
