It wasn’t long ago that Charlotte was abuzz with hype, confidence and optimism heading into the 2023 campaign. Because for the first time in quite some time—with an established group of coaches, a new franchise quarterback and a ready-made defense in hand—the Carolina Panthers seemed to have a direction.
But all of that hype, confidence and optimism has quickly been flushed down a nightmare of a season. And now, after their 10th loss in 11 games, head coach Frank Reich has lost his job.
Not much has worked for this team all year, and there are many fingers to point with no real way to place the blame on any one group. Led by the “all-star” coaching staff that seemed behind in the times—the defense has been ravaged by injuries, the offensive line has regressed and the No. 1 overall pick has been thrust into an unenviable (and dysfunctional) situation.
History has shown that the worst thing you can do to a rookie quarterback is throw him into the fire of a line that cannot block with a group of receivers that cannot get open. That’s precisely what’s happened to Bryce Young, who hasn’t been able to showcase why he was the apple of the organization’s eye.
But has the team done anything to avoid such things from unfolding? Not really.
It may be only a matter of time that heads continue to roll in Carolina, even beyond the firing of their head coach. Whether or not that time comes for general manager Scott Fitterer and the front office, a lack of consequences for this botched run of seasons is simply unfathomable.
Owner David Tepper has clearly grown even more impatient in his approach, and it’s pretty hard to blame him. It’s even hard to call the Reich dismissal a hasty one at this point—as nothing has working.
Something’s got to give by the end of the season. And for whoever is ultimately in place to try and push this struggling franchise in the right direction, hopefully they’ll spare the fans of yet another disastrous result moving forward.
