INDIANAPOLIS —The Indianapolis Colts today officially named Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich as the team's new head coach. Reich has 26 years of NFL experience as both a player (1985-98) and coach (2006-17), most recently helping lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl LII title last week.
Reich, who signed his contract earlier today, rejoins the Colts after spending six years on the team's coaching staff from 2006-11. The Colts will introduce Reich in Indianapolis on Tuesday. More details will follow.
"We are extremely excited to announce Frank Reich as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts," said Colts owner & CEO Jim Irsay. "Frank has all the ingredients of a successful head coach: intelligence, innovation, character, organizational and leadership skills, and a commanding presence. He also has a stellar reputation, and his myriad of life experiences and the people he has worked with make him the perfect fit for us and our fans. I feel extremely fortunate and could not be more excited for Colts Nation and the future of our franchise."
"We are excited to have Frank Reich as our new head coach," said Colts general manager Chris Ballard. "Frank is a leader of men who will demand excellence from our players on and off the field. I look forward to working with Frank to deliver a championship-caliber team to the city of Indianapolis."
Philadelphia Eagles (2016-17). Reich spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Eagles and was instrumental in the team's Super Bowl LII championship last Sunday. He assisted with the development of quarterback Carson Wentz, whom the team selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Eagles started the 2017 season in dominant fashion under the direction of Reich and his offense. Wentz started the first 13 games of the season and led the team to an 11-2 record and was in the running for NFL MVP after completing 265-of-440 passes for 3,296 yards with 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions for a 101.9 passer rating. Philadelphia would face extreme adversity in a Week 14 contest vs. the Los Angeles Rams as Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury in the third quarter.
Thrust into the spotlight for Wentz, who was leading the NFL in touchdown passes at the time of his injury, was veteran quarterback Nick Foles. Foles would start the final three contests of the regular season and guided the Eagles to a 2-1 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
In postseason play, Foles led Philadelphia to underdog wins over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional round, Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII for the team's first-ever Super Bowl championship. Foles completed 77-of-106 passes for 971 yards with six touchdowns and only one interception for a 115.7 passer rating in the playoffs. He was named Super Bowl MVP after completing 28-of-43 passes for 373 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 106.1 passer rating. Foles also caught a one-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for and catch a touchdown in a Super Bowl.
The Eagles boasted one of the NFL's best offenses in 2017. Philadelphia ranked in the top-10 in numerous categories, including yards per game (365.8 – seventh), rushing yards per game (132.2 – third), interception rate (1.60 – sixth), first downs per game (21.1 – fourth), third down percentage (41.74 – eight), fourth down percentage (65.38 – third), red zone percentage (65.45 – first), goal to go percentage (83.33 – third), average time of possession (32:41 – first) and points per game (28.6 – third). Philadelphia had four offensive players selected to the Pro Bowl (guard Brandon Brooks, tight end Zach Ertz, tackle Lane Johnson and Wentz). Ertz finished in the top-five in the league in receptions (tied-third), receiving yards (third), receiving touchdowns (tied-second) and first down receptions (third) among tight ends.
In 2016, Reich helped then-rookie Wentz make the transition from FCS-level North Dakota State to the pros. Wentz started all 16 games and completed 379-of-607 passes for 3,782 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a 79.3 passer rating. He set a franchise and NFL rookie record for completions. Wentz also established Eagles rookie records in pass attempts, passing yards, completion percentage (62.4 percent), passing touchdowns and passer rating. He attempted 134 consecutive passes without an interception, marking the third-longest streak to begin a career in NFL history. Wentz registered the fourth-most passing yards in Eagles single-season history and NFL rookie history. Three Philadelphia offensive players were selected to the Pro Bowl (center Jason Kelce, tackle Jason Peters and running back Darren Sproles).
San Diego Chargers (2013-15). Prior to Philadelphia, Reich spent three seasons with the San Diego Chargers, serving the last two seasons as offensive coordinator. Reich worked closely with quarterback Philip Rivers in San Diego. Under the direction of Reich, Rivers hit the 4,000-yard passing plateau in three-straight seasons for a total of 13,556 yards, marking the third-most passing yards by an NFL quarterback during that time frame. Also during that span, Rivers threw 92 touchdowns, the fourth-highest total in the NFL, while compiling the third-most completions in the league (1,194) and recording the second-highest completion percentage (67.3).
During Reich's two seasons as San Diego's offensive coordinator, the Chargers ranked third in completions (822), fourth in completion percentage (66.2) and fifth in the NFL in net passing yards (8,869).
Arizona Cardinals (2012). Before his tenure in San Diego, Reich coached wide receivers for the Arizona Cardinals in 2012, where he worked with wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. Fitzgerald caught 71 passes for 798 yards and four touchdowns en route to his seventh career Pro Bowl selection.
Indianapolis Colts (2006-11). Reich spent the first six seasons of his coaching career with the Colts as wide receivers coach (2011), quarterbacks coach (2009-10), offensive assistant (2008) and coaching intern (2006-07). In Indianapolis, he was a member of teams that earned five playoff appearances, four AFC South Division titles, two AFC Championships, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl title.
In 2011, Reich led a wide receivers group that worked without future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season due to injury. Despite playing with three different starting quarterbacks, Reich's two top wideouts, Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon, were just one of two wide receiver duos in the NFL to each record 70-plus receptions and 900-plus receiving yards.
From 2009-10, Reich was the position coach for Manning. Under Reich's guidance, he completed 843-of-1,250 passes for 9,200 yards with 66 touchdowns and 33 interceptions for a 95.6 passer rating. Manning was named to Pro Bowls in both seasons. In 2009, Reich's first season as quarterbacks coach, Manning was named NFL MVP after completing 393-of-571 passes for 4,500 yards with 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for a 99.9 passer rating. His 68.8 completion percentage was the best of his 18-year NFL career.
Reich began his NFL coaching career in 2006 as a coaching intern with the Colts. After two seasons in that role, he was promoted to offensive assistant in 2008.
Playing career (1985-98). Reich enjoyed a 14-year playing career with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets and Detroit Lions after being selected by the Bills in the third round (57th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft. Including postseason play, he played in 129 career games (22 starts) and completed 575-of-1,036 passes for 6,858 yards and 47 touchdowns.
He spent the first 10 years of his NFL career with the Bills, where he served as a backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. During his time in Buffalo, Reich was a part of Bills teams that went to four-straight Super Bowls from 1990-1993, appeared in five AFC Championships and captured five division titles.
While Reich was rarely pressed into action during his nine years backing up Kelly, the former signal caller was called upon in the 1992 playoffs after Kelly sprained his right knee in the regular season finale and was forced to sit out the first two rounds. Despite having only attempted one pass in a postseason game prior to the 1992 season, Reich made his first postseason start in the 1992 Wild Card round and engineered the greatest comeback in NFL history. With the Bills trailing the Houston Oilers by 32 points early in the third quarter, Reich orchestrated five second-half touchdown drives, four of which were capped by touchdown passes, and led a game-winning field goal drive in overtime to defeat Houston 41-38. Reich started the next week in a Divisional Round win at Pittsburgh, and the Bills went on to make an appearance in Super Bowl XXVII.
Personal info. A native of Freeport, NY, Reich attended Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon, Pa. He played collegiately at the University of Maryland from 1981-84 where he backed up Boomer Esiason before earning the starting job as a senior in 1984. As a senior, Reich rallied the Terrapins from a 31-0 deficit to defeat the Miami Hurricanes, 42-40. At the time, Maryland's victory over Miami marked the greatest comeback win in college football history and is now only second to Michigan State's 2006 35-point comeback over Northwestern.
Reich graduated from Maryland in 1984 with a business degree and earned Academic All-ACC honors as a senior.
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• Colts Announce New Head Coach And Twitter Responds
• Photos: Welcome Back Coach Reich
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