Veteran head coach Frank Reich was the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts for four full seasons, and was eventually fired halfway through his fifth season. The decision to fire Reich very quickly began being questioned, as Reich had to contend with Andrew Luck's unexpected retirement and the beginnings of Chris Ballard's never-ending quarterback carousel.
Afterwards, Reich rebounded with the Carolina Panthers, but he was - again - fired midseason. He hadn't been given a head coaching job since then, but his luck could finally be changing, as his former QB has hired him to take over as the new head coach at Stanford.
Sources: Stanford is hiring veteran NFL coach Frank Reich as the school’s interim football coach for 2025 season. Both sides have agreed this will be only a one-season agreement. At that point, Stanford will launch a national search. pic.twitter.com/21NuVUCjjt
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 31, 2025
Andrew Luck left football unexpectedly in 2019, but announced his return to the sport last year with his hiring as Stanford's new general manager. The position was created specifically for him, and Luck has an unprecedented level of control over Stanford's football operations, in charge of literally everything: coaching, player personnel staff, recruiting, the student-athlete experience, and more.
Just last week, Luck announced that head coach Troy Taylor had been fired, following a scandal in which Taylor had been accused of mistreating female staffers, allegations which had been confirmed by investigations conducted by two different outside firms.
Reich's hiring appears to be temporary only, for just the 2025-2026 season; afterwards, a nationwide search for a permanent coach will take place. Tight ends coach Nate Byham has been promoted to offensive coordinator.
In the NFL, Reich's career has been mixed. As a player, he went to four Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills; though he was primarily a backup quarterback, he played in several key games and performing well, leading to him having been called one of the best backup QBs in NFL history. His coaching career began with a one-season stint in Indianapolis as a coaching intern before becoming a coaching assistant the next season. He was the quarterbacks coach from 2008 - 2011, and then was made the wide receivers coach. After finishing 2-14, Reich - along with the entire coaching staff - was unceremoniously thrown out, to no one's surprise. He later came back to Indianapolis later, but not before several seasons with other teams, including winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, when he served as offensive coordinator. As a head coach, Reich's record was 41-43-1 through six seasons.
“I could not be more excited for our coaches, staff and players to have Frank as our head football coach for the 2025 season,” Luck said. “I have experienced first-hand the incredible impact Frank has demonstrated as a leader and have full confidence he is the perfect steward for this season of Stanford Football. Frank is a teacher, a winner and a coach of the highest caliber. Frank’s values align seamlessly with our vision for this program and I firmly believe in his ability to maximize the on-field potential of our student-athletes while serving as a role model in all aspects of their personal growth.”