CHARLOTTE — The Panthers are trying something new, while going back to the future at the same time.
The team agreed to terms with Frank Reich to be the sixth head coach in franchise history on Thursday, which will make him the first coach here with an offensive background.
And that background, as both a player and a coach, made him an appealing choice.
After a stint in Buffalo as the backup (who led the Bills to what was at the time the biggest comeback in NFL history), he came to Carolina in 1995 as the first starting quarterback in franchise history.
He also won a Super Bowl ring as offensive coordinator with the Eagles in 2017, and spent the last five years as head coach of the Colts, going 40-33-1 in five years. He's coached quarterbacks from Peyton Manning to Philip Rivers to Andrew Luck.
The 61-year-old Reich brings credentials as an offensive play-caller to a place looking for stability at quarterback and the chance to bring a new perspective to one of his old homes.