Stanford hires Frank Reich on a 1-year deal as interim head coach, replacing Troy Taylor

Well, here’s one you probably didn’t have on your 2025 college football bingo card: Frank Reich is the head coach at Stanford. But only for a year. And he’s not allowed to keep the job.

On Monday morning, Stanford officially announced Reich as its interim head coach for the 2025 season, following the messy firing of Troy Taylor, who was booted amid allegations of mistreating female athletic staffers.

Stanford hires Frank Reich on a 1-year deal as interim head coach, replacing Troy Taylor

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

The university initially backed Taylor before reversing course—classic PR whiplash. Taylor finished his short-lived tenure in Palo Alto with a forgettable 6-18 record and, evidently, a toxic workplace.

Enter Frank Reich. The 63-year-old NFL vet and Super Bowl champion with the Eagles will step in and run the show for one season only. No long-term vision, no future recruiting pitch. Just one year to steady the ship and make Stanford football respectable again before they begin a full national search for a permanent coach.

It’s unorthodox, but let’s be honest—Stanford didn’t have many clean options. Frank Reich brings NFL credibility, a level-headed demeanor, and a strong connection to Stanford’s newly minted GM Andrew Luck (yeah, that Andrew Luck), who played under Reich in Indy.

Frank Reich’s recent head-coaching resume is a mixed bag. He went 40-33-1 with the Colts, made two playoff appearances, but his brief stint with the Panthers in 2023 was a disaster—1-10 and canned before Thanksgiving. He was out of football in 2024, but now he’s back, and Stanford is basically a one-year rehab assignment for his coaching stock.

Don’t expect Reich to hang banners or light the recruiting trail on fire. He’s not even in the mix to land the full-time gig—per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Reich won’t be considered for the permanent job. He’s there to calm the waters, coach up what talent remains, and hopefully hand off a program that doesn’t look like a total mess.

Frank Reich’s contract as Stanford interim coach will run only seven to eight months, and he won’t interview for the full-time job. A unique situation as he joins his old QB Andrew Luck to try to right the ship for the Cardinal. pic.twitter.com/E1Ixtceqc3

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 31, 2025

Stanford gets a pro’s pro in the building. Reich gets a chance to show he can still lead and maybe get back on an NFL sideline next year. And if they accidentally win 7 or 8 games? Don’t be shocked if another college program comes calling.

The setup is strange, the expectations are low, and yet… this might work out just fine for everyone involved.

Still, it’s very Stanford to replace a controversial firing with a placeholder head coach who’s not even allowed to apply for the job.

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