Frank Reich has signed a deal to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
Reich spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as offense coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, helping them win the Super Bowl despite franchise-star Carson Wentz going down before the playoffs even began.
It's official Colts fans!
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) February 11, 2018
Frank Reich is your new head coach: https://t.co/ESDN4HNB5f pic.twitter.com/RzUlut63rp
The Colts decided to part ways with Chuck Pagano after a 4-12 season showed the team needed to rebuild around Andrew Luck.
Luck did miss the entire 2017 season, but his absence should not have left that big of a hole in the team. The front office has the fourth highest amount of cap space in the NFL to sign free agents and seven draft picks to bring in a solid class.
Reich, with his experience at the quarterback position, should help realign the Colts and ignite them back into the AFC playoff picture.
His quarterback experience goes way back to College Park, where he backed up Boomer Esiason for three seasons. Despite only taking part in 18 games over the course of three seasons, Reich managed to get drafted in the third round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, and play a whopping 13 years in the league.
Since his time as a player, Reich has had eight different coaching positions, all in the NFL. His career actually began in Indianapolis as an offensive assistant, later helping to coach quarterbacks and wide receivers specifically.
In his two seasons as the quarterbacks coach he helped guide Peyton Manning to the playoffs, including their 2009 Super Bowl loss to the New Orleans Saints.
There is no doubt that Reich has was it takes to coach in the National Football League, and this decision helps answer some Maryland fans’ questions as to why he maybe didn’t consider jumping back to College Park as an offensive coordinator or head coach.