After losing out on the Carolina Panthers head coaching job to Frank Reich, Jim Caldwell has agreed to join Reich's staff in Charlotte. The former Colts and Lions head coach will have an overarching role where he will "help the team on offense, defense, and special teams," the team said.
The unique arrangement was born out of a preexisting relationship between the two men.
Reich began coaching as an intern with the Colts in 2006, joining a staff that included Caldwell as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. When Caldwell was promoted to head coach in 2009, Reich was promoted to quarterbacks coach.
In three seasons as head coach in Indy, Caldwell went 14-2 with a Super Bowl appearance, 10-6 with a division title and a playoff trip, and then bottomed out to 2-14 with Peyton Manning missing the 2011 season due to a neck injury.
The following season, Caldwell won a Super Bowl as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator.
Caldwell became the Detroit Lions' head coach in 2014. In four seasons, he made the playoffs twice and posted three winning records, including in 2016-17. Still, he was fired after the 2017 season; this past season (9-8) was Detroit's first winning campaign since Caldwell's firing.
In short, the Panthers are getting the most overqualified senior assistant in football in the 68-year-old Caldwell. He last coached in 2019 as the Dolphins' assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
Another finalist for the head coaching position, Ejiro Evero, has joined Reich's new staff as defensive coordinator.
Following a 7-10 season, the Panthers will be expected to immediately contend for a division championship in the wide-open, Tom Brady-less NFC South.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.