“It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches, and the fans” – Ousted HC Frank Reich shares poignant message in interview after Panthers sacking

Frank Reich, recently relieved of his duties as the head coach of the struggling Carolina Panthers with a dismal 1-10 start, showed remarkable grace in handling his departure. In an exclusive interview with The Charlotte Observer, Reich expressed no bitterness towards team owner David Tepper, stating that he harbours “no hard feelings” and will continue to be a fan of the Panthers.

“There’s a heart-pounding disappointment in not hitting the marks that we needed to hit to keep this going and try to get it turned around,” Reich said. “It hurts me for the guys, the team, the coaches and the fans.”

The big question is if the #Panthers didn't make the mistake of passing on C.J. Stroud, is Frank Reich fired today?

At his Pro Day, it seems Reich/Josh McCown wanted Stroud

Reich later said Tepper "didn't stay away" on decisions..pic.twitter.com/rSypmd79kihttps://t.co/l13uG1DxaV pic.twitter.com/lmRO4R6nzL

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 27, 2023

Speaking of Tepper, who personally delivered the news of his firing at Bank of America Stadium, Reich had nothing but positive sentiments.

“I want to convey that I have nothing but positive thoughts about Mr. Tepper. On a personal level, I saw a side of him that I deeply respect and care about. But the NFL is a meritocracy. It’s not unconditional love. I understand from a professional standpoint Mr. Tepper is going to have certain standards that he expects to have met. I have no hard feelings, and my personal relationship with him was actually a real highlight of this short time.”

Frank Reich: The NFL is a meritocracy, it's not unconditional love. https://t.co/DflMhwJbHy

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 27, 2023

In an interview, Reich revealed to Scott Fowler that this chapter might signal the end of his NFL coaching journey.

“This is probably the final chapter of my NFL journey,” Reich said.

However, this admission may come with a financial cost, as many coaching contracts include offset language requiring coaches to seek alternative employment to receive their full compensation after dismissal.

WILD… Recently fired head coach Frank Reich will make about 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS a day from the #Panthers for the next 3 years to do NOTHING

🤯 pic.twitter.com/D8stePou3U

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 27, 2023

Reich’s coaching history includes a stint as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 until the middle of last season, as well as roles as the offensive coordinator for the Eagles and Chargers before that. His brief 11-game tenure with the Panthers is the shortest run as an NFL head coach since Pete McCulley’s nine games with the San Francisco 49ers in 1978.