Texans QB C.J. Stroud reportedly played a role in Panthers firing Frank Reich

While the decision to fire head coach Frank Reich by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper was seemingly the culmination of several plights and not just one isolated incident, it’s now known that one of the first decisions Reich made factored into his own undoing.

Though Tepper told reporters after firing Reich that the franchise stood by the decision to draft Bryce Young over Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud, that may not exactly be the case as a Panthers source admitted Stroud’s success “100 percent” played a role in Reich’s firing, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

“A team source said that by Week 5 multiple Carolina coaches wanted to bench [Young] for veteran quarterback Andy Dalton,” Russini said. “Some believed the team needed a change and that Young required more coaching. The team decided this wasn’t about trying to get wins in the short term but to stay on task with teaching and developing Young in the offense.”

Stroud entered Sunday leading the NFL in passing yards per game (296.9), and he ranked in the top 10 in both touchdown passes (19) and passer rating (100.8). Conversely, Young ranked 31st (187.7), 24th (nine) and 31st (74.9), respectively, in the same categories.