After a dismal 1-10 start, the Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Frank Reich. Sunday’s 17-10 loss to a 3-7 (entering the game) Titans team was the final straw for impetuous owner Dave Tepper.
Reich’s removal opens the door for coaching candidate articles and speculation. Expect to see and hear a whole lot of Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in those rumors.
The dots are very easy to connect. Johnson is a Charlotte-area native with lots of family still in the area. He’s widely considered one of the brightest young offensive minds in football for his work in crafting Detroit’s offense into one of the league’s best and most innovative.
Oh yeah, he was the preferred candidate for the job last year, too. Johnson was the early leader and heavy odds-on favorite to land the job. However, after his initial interview with Tepper, Johnson withdrew his name from consideration and returned to Detroit.
Perhaps Johnson has changed his mind in the ensuing months. Times and circumstances do change, after all. But I do not expect him to have any more interest in the position now than last winter, when he slammed the door on a move to his hometown and input on the No. 1 overall pick to build his team around. If anything, it’s a much worse opportunity now than it was when Johnson rejected the Panthers earlier this year.
Remember, the Panthers traded away this year’s first-rounder, currently No. 1 overall, to move up and take Bryce Young. The rookie QB has struggled badly even for a rookie, taking 40 sacks and throwing eight INTs while leading just 10 touchdown drives in 11 games. Making it even less appealing, the Panthers’ two best defensive players, EDGE Brian Burns and DB Jeremy Chinn, are both unrestricted free agents after the season.