Reich to call plays for Panthers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich said he plans to be the team’s offensive play-caller — at least for now.

Reich, who called plays the past four seasons as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, said it’s something he feels comfortable doing and enjoys, but that he eventually plans on handing the role over to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.

When that will be, he doesn’t know.

“I know that is going to be hard,” Reich said. “I’ve laughed with Thomas about that already, saying ‘I’m going to pass it off at some point, I don’t know when.’ There will be a time and a place and I think that will become apparent when that is.”

Still, Reich added he will “lean heavy” on Brown for his input on play-calling.

Brown, who spent the 2022 season as the assistant head coach/tight ends coach for the Los Angeles Rams, is one of the few assistants Reich hired that he didn’t have a previous relationship with in the league.

So while Reich feels strongly about Brown’s skills, calling him a coach with “wisdom, conviction and strength,” there may still need to be a level of comfort that needs to be cultivated.

CLEVELAND — Browns special teams coordinator Mike Priefer was fired Tuesday following four seasons of inconsistency and numerous breakdowns by his units.

The move came six weeks after coach Kevin Stefanski fired defensive coordinator Joe Woods following a 7-10 season.

Priefer spent three seasons on Stefanski’s staff and filled in for him when the coach had COVID-19 and missed the Browns’ wild-card win over Pittsburgh in the 2020 season.

“I appreciate everything Prief has done for this team in his three seasons as my special teams coordinator, but I have decided to move in another direction in the best interest of our organization,” Stefanski said. “I know this city will forever be grateful for the job he did as acting head coach in our AFC wild-card win and for all his contributions while leading the Browns special teams units for the last four seasons.”

The Browns have requested an interview with Colts special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, who was a candidate for Indianapolis’ head coaching job. Even though he was passed over in favor of Shane Steichen, Ventrone remains under contract in Indianapolis.

Priefer coached with Stefanski in Minnesota and was retained by him after the Browns fired coach Freddie Kitchens following the 2019 season.

Titans hire Outten as RB coach

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have hired Justin Outten as their new running backs coach and run game coordinator.

The Titans announced the hiring Tuesday. He joins Tennessee after spending last season as offensive coordinator for Denver and takes over with Tony Dews now coaching tight ends.

Outten coached tight ends with the Green Bay Packers between 2019-21. He started coaching in the NFL as an offensive intern with Atlanta in 2016 under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and was promoted to offensive assistant for 2017 and 2018 working with the offensive line.

He was promoted to assistant offensive line coach with the Falcons in 2018.

Outten played three years at center at Syracuse, then started his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2007. He worked at Westfield High School in Houston between 2008 and 2015 in a variety of roles including offensive coordinator.