Panthers shoot Frank Reich: Ranking seven potential Carolina head coaches, including Ben Johnson of the Lions.
After hiring former Colts head coach Frank Reich in January 2023, Carolina ended a coaching search in which ownership mainly conducted interviews with offensive candidates. Those interviewed included former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, current Colts head coach Shane Steichen, former Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, and interim head coach Steve Wilks.
In the most recent coaching search, Carolina conducted an interview with Johnson, 37. He spent twelve seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins and Lions. Johnson gained notoriety following a stellar 2022 season that also happened to coincide with quarterback Jared Goff performing at a higher level. This season, the Lions offense has carried the team to an 8-3 record, and his resume has only gotten stronger. His efforts with Goff will not go unnoticed as the Panthers search for a quarterback who can maximize the potential of their first-round pick, Bryce Young.
After three seasons as Sean McVay’s passing game coordinator, Waldron, 44, is currently in his third season as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Two Super Bowl titles were won by him during his Patriots tenure. The quarterback from Seattle, Geno Smith, is credited with saying, “They wrote me off, I ain’t write back,” and Waldron is the creator of the offensive scheme that has given the former second-round pick new life. He is a creative coach with avant-garde play ideas.
In NFL circles, neither McVay nor coaches with experience under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan are more in style. Slowik, 36, was a member of the now-famous Washington coaching staff that also featured Shanahan, McVay, former Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Apart from his remarkable network, Slowik has invigorated a Texans offensive group that has taken the NFL by surprise. His collaboration with C.J. Stroud is a plus as he moves forward with the interview process.
Prior to being appointed as Michigan’s defensive coordinator by Jim Harbaugh in 2021, Macdonald coached for seven seasons in the Baltimore organization. The 36-year-old made an impression during his one and only season with the Wolverines. John Harbaugh brought him back to the Ravens as a result of his work in Ann Arbor. Longtime defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was let go by Baltimore after the 2021 season, and Macdonald assumed the position in 2022. The admiration for Macdonald has grown, and the Baltimore defense has not missed a beat.
The majority of people think that Mayo, 37, has received guarantees that he will succeed Bill Belichick when the time comes. In 2019, after playing for eight seasons under Belichick, Mayo was brought on as the inside linebackers coach. The Virginia native, who won the Super Bowl, is renowned for giving his team perseverance and toughness.
The hiring of a Belichick disciple has not always resulted in success; however, Mike Vrabel of the Titans is an exception.
A year ago, Moore, 35, was interviewed as a part of Carolina’s search. He played for six years, moving to Dallas and Detroit. In 2018, Jerry Jones appointed him as the quarterbacks coach. He was appointed offensive coordinator the next year. The team decided to take action after he served in that capacity for four seasons, and the Chargers hired him to fill the same position. FTNFantasy ranks Los Angeles eighth in offensive DVOA. The previous season, they came in fifteenth.
The Panthers had also conducted interviews with Kafka, 36, the previous year. New York’s offensive woes this season have taken some of the luster off of them. He received a lot of praise for his work with Daniel Jones in Year 1. For seven years, Kafka has been a league coach. Andy Reid, the head coach of Kansas City for his first five years, also served as his head coach in Philadelphia when the Eagles selected the quarterback from Northwestern in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
