4 possible OC candidates for Frank Reich’s Panthers
After Thursday’s hiring of Frank Reich, mum currently seems to be the word on the rest of the Carolina Panthers’ coaching staff. And that includes the offensive coordinator position, which may or may not belong to 2022’s play caller Ben McAdoo at this point.
So, who could fill the spot if the team opts for an overhaul? Here are four possible candidates, all with some sort of link to Reich, for the job.
Kevin Patullo
AP Photo/Doug Murray
Patullo should be a name we’ll see quite a bit of as this process goes on.
He was brought to the Indianapolis Colts by Reich as a wide receivers coach in 2018. He then served a pass game specialist for the team in 2020 and moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles with Nick Sirianni as his passing game coordinator.
The 41-year-old also has prior NFL experience as an offensive assistant, an offensive quality control coach and a quarterbacks coach.
Mike Groh
AP Photo/John Minchillo
Another one of Reich’s additions in Indy, Groh has worked as a wide receivers coach with five different teams for the better part of the last decade. He’s currently with the New York Giants and head coach Brian Daboll, whose offense had an eye-opening 2022 campaign.
Groh, who was the passing game coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams (2016) and the offensive coordinator for both the Philadelphia Eagles (2018 to 2019) and the University of Virginia (2006 to 2008) does have play-calling experience. He’s also somewhat familiar with the Panthers, as he was one of Matt Rhule’s offensive coordinator candidates from a year ago.
Scottie Montgomery
The Indianapolis Star
Montgomery, like Groh, was a part of Carolina’s search last season. And he, of course, has ties to Reich as well.
The Shelby, N.C. native and former Panthers wideout was hired by the Colts as their running backs coach in 2021. Prior to that stint, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of Maryland (Reich’s alma mater) and the head coach at East Carolina University.
Brian Johnson
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
A name previously linked to Steve Wilks, Johnson is the only man on this list who hasn’t shared a sideline with Reich. But he does share a similar offensive philosophy.
Johnson is currently the quarterbacks coach in Philly under Sirianni—who, again, rose to prominence under Reich. He’s had a significant hand in helping morph Jalen Hurts into an MVP candidate and the Eagles into one of the most potent offenses in the game.
[listicle id=667378]
