A new Burlington Stores location is coming to South Philadelphia.
The New Jersey-based discount retailer on Monday announced plans to open a store this spring in a shopping center on South 24th Street, with discount retailers Five Below and Ross Dress for Less nearby.
Burlington got its start in 1972, opening its first store on Route 130 in Burlington Township under the name Burlington Coat Factory. Since then, it has grown to over 1,000 locations and has shed “coat factory” from its name, reflecting the larger product line it carries including apparel, shoes, and home decor.
Burlington headquarters is shown last year in
Burlington City.
Burlington started implementing a smaller store model in 2017. About a decade ago its stores were roughly three times larger than the 20,000-square-foot new ones.
New stores feature a “refreshed format, including wider, more organized aisles and bold signage,” according to a company news release this week. Many existing stores have been remodeled to fit this format, and all sites are expected to have transitioned by the end of the year.
The discount retailer has over 40 stores in Pennsylvania, including seven stores in Philadelphia and several more in the surrounding counties. Another South Philly Burlington is located at Whitman Plaza on Oregon Avenue, roughly two miles from where the new site will open.
Wednesday — or, more specifically, Feb. 4 — is a memorable day for Eagles fans. On this date in 2018, the Birds brought home their first Super Bowl title with a thrilling 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots.
The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl this Sunday as Mike Vrabel pioneers a new era for the franchise. But eight years later, questions and debates still surround how Nick Foles and the Eagles pulled off that upset win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Some will be answered in the upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, The Philly Special, this Friday.
Meanwhile, for former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, parts of Super Bowl LII are still unresolved. Butler, reflecting on his career, told the Boston Globe earlier this week that he doesn’t know why he was benched for most of that game.
Butler rose to instant fame in 2015 for his game-sealing interception that helped the Patriots top the Seahawks, 28-24, in Super Bowl XLIX, the first and only other Super Bowl meeting between the two teams.
However, Butler, who won a pair of championships with the Patriots, told the Globe that Super Bowl LII is the one he thinks about the most. Butler, a starter and star player for the Patriots that season, watched the Eagles win from the bench at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. He played just one special teams snap in the game.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick (left) benched Malcolm Butler for nearly the entire Super Bowl LII loss to Doug Pederson (right) and the Eagles.
It was a controversial coaching decision by Bill Belichick for which he and Butler never had a clear explanation. While Butler expressed no resentment about the matter, he admitted that eight years later, he still is unsure of the reasoning behind Belichick’s move.
“That’s the [Super Bowl] I think about the most,” Butler said. “Tom Brady could’ve had eight rings, I could’ve had three. It was just a coaching decision. I’m going to call North Carolina and see if I can get in touch with Bill. I’ll ask him.”
The team’s reported issues with Butler’s practicing and a heated exchange with then-defensive coordinator Matt Patricia allegedly contributed to the benching. According to a 2021 book by Seth Wickersham, It’s Better To Be Feared, Butler said, “‘These dudes,’ referring to the coaches … ‘these [expletives],” when asked why he was benched at the team’s after-party. There were also reports that Butler missed a curfew during Super Bowl week, which Butler has denied.
Butler left after that Super Bowl loss for a three-year stint with the Tennessee Titans, and then signed with the Arizona Cardinals but retired before the start of the 2021 season. He came out of retirement in 2022 and re-signed with the Patriots but was injured and never played another game for New England, retiring again in 2024.
In a bit of winter irony, two barges carrying 21,000 tons of salt reinforcements for Philadelphia couldn’t get through the frozen Delaware River, according to city officials.
At the Pelbano Recreation Center in Bustleton on Wednesday,Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams said the city had used more than 30,000 tons in January, which was highlighted by the 9.3 inches of snow and icy sleet on the 25th. The Arctic cold that followed has kept a whole lot of it in place.
The city still has 15,000 tons on reserve, but Williams said officials are watching salt levels closely and using judgment when dispersing what’s left. He said inspectors are being sent to sites where salting has been requested through 311 to determine whether treatment is warranted, and to ensure the city has enough salt until reinforcements arrive.
“We definitely need to make sure our salt levels are at a sufficient amount so that if we get another storm like this, we can be out there prepared to fight,” he said.
By Wednesday afternoon, a city spokesperson confirmed that a barge carrying 15,000 tons of salt was able to redirect and dock in Paulsboro, N.J. That load is slated to reach Philly by truck Thursday.
The fate of the second barge, with 6,000 tons, meant to go to Philadelphia, remains unclear.
The delivery is ultimately slated to head to Fairless Hills, which is currently “iced in,” according to Office of Emergency Management Director Dominick Mireles.
How long the barge has been stuck wasn’t immediately clear, but Mireles said the U.S. Coast Guard continues to perform ice-cutting operations on the river.
The city uses about 15,000 tons of salt for a significant winter storm, according to a city spokesperson. It tries to keep 45,000 tons on hand.
City officials noted the frozen sections of the river offer a reminder of how the elements have not done plows and snow cleanup crews any favors in breaking up what have now become dirty, hardened, sometimes rock-solid chunks of ice across the city.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, like those in other East Coast cities, has received no shortage of criticism for inaccessible crosswalks and SEPTA bus stations that remained icy days after the biggest snowstorm in a decade.
In the snow cleanup update at Pelbano, Parker assured the public that the city was working nonstop to help it return to normal.
Still, she said, as seen with the frozen barge, that work isn’t always in the spotlight.
As for the salt, Parker said the administration is “investigating alternate methods of resupply” as they wait.
Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect updated information from the city.
Najee Williams, 27, is considered armed and dangerous, police said. Homicide investigators say Williams is connected to the fatal shootings of 20-year-old David Garcia-Morales in December and 25-year-old Aaron Whitfield in January.
Williams faces charges of murder, conspiracy, and related crimes. There is a $20,000 reward for information that leads to his arrest and conviction.
The killings of Garcia-Morales and Whitfield, who police say worked for the Jenkintown-based towing company 448 Towing and Recovery, rattled the city and put a focus on the competitive business of towing.
Williams is the owner and operator of N.K.W Towing and Recovery, of North Philadelphia, according to a police source who asked not to be identified to discuss an ongoing investigation.
A Facebook page for N.K.W features photos of car accidents and messages urging potential customers to call the company.
“INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT OR SEE ONE CALL ME” one message says.
Another post from 2024 says: “Left the streets in a patty wagon, came back home and got right to it! Been home for 2 years now & as I sit here and think how bless I’m to have my freedom back.”
It was not immediately clear who made the post.
Staff Inspector Ernest Ransom, commanding officer of the homicide unit, said forensic evidence collected from a stolen Honda used in the shooting of Whitfield led investigators to Williams.
The department’s fugitive task force and U.S. Marshals are assisting in the search for Williams, whose last known whereabouts were in Montgomery County, authorities say.
On Dec. 22, police were called to 4200 Torresdale Avenue to find Garcia-Morales shot and injured inside a Ford F-450 towing vehicle. He was struck in the neck and thigh, and died four days later at Temple University Hospital.
The second shooting, which took place on Jan. 11 on the 2100 block of Knorr Street, left Whitfield dead at the scene after he was struck by gunfire in the head and body.
Whitfield had also been sitting in a tow truck, according to police. His 21-year-old girlfriend was shot in the leg and survived her injuries.
Philadelphia’s towing industry is competitive and drivers often traverse the city in search of car accidents, hoping to be the first to arrive at the scene.
That practice persists despite a city policy that requires police and dispatchers to cycle through a list of approved towing companies to contact when responding to accidents.
For as big a deal as the opening ceremony is at the Winter Olympics, it has been a while since that was actually when the Games started.
That’s the case again this year, as the ice hockey and curling competitions get going before the cauldron is lit in Milan on Friday night.
Curling’s mixed doubles competition started Wednesday with a few early matchups, and on Thursday, the U.S. women’s hockey team will go into the spotlight.
The Americans hope to win the gold medal back after perennial rival Canada won in 2022. Either the U.S. or Canada has won every gold since women’s ice hockey became an Olympic sport in 1998 — two for the U.S. (1998 and 2018), and five for Canada.
On top of that, every gold medal game but one has been a U.S.-Canada clash. Sweden upset the Americans in 2006 in Torino, the last time the Olympics took place in Italy.
Right now, the widespread expectation is that the Americans and Canadians will meet again for gold this year.
At10:40 a.m. Thursday, USA Network will televise the U.S. game against Czechia.
Sarah Nurse helped Canada top the United States in the 2022 Olympics women’s ice hockey gold medal game.
How to watch the Olympics on TV and livestreaming online
There is TV coverage on NBC’s main broadcast network; on cable channels USA, CNBC, and NBCSN; and free-to-air Telemundo and cable channel Universo in Spanish. USA’s coverage is 24/7 every day, with live events when they’re on and replays the rest of the time.
NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whiparound show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.
Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV. On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.
NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference from Italy to here. The traditional prime time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.
The NBC Sports and Peacock apps are available for mobile devices, tablets, and connected-TV devices including Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung TV, and more. There’s an FAQ page on NBC’s website here with more details.
If you have a Comcast Xfinity X1 cable box, just say “Olympics” into the remote’s voice control function, and everything will come up, whether it’s on TV or online. Other cable and satellite TV providers may offer similar functions.
As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether they’re live or not.
NBC
8 p.m.:Ice, Snow & Glory: The Winter Olympics, NBC’s preview show for the Games
USA Network
8 a.m.: Intro to Milan Cortina show
8:35 a.m.: Mixed doubles curling — United States vs. Switzerland
10:40 a.m.: Women’s ice hockey — United States vs. Czechia
1:05 p.m.: Mixed doubles curling — Italy vs. Canada
3:45 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey — Finland vs. Canada
As we settle into the new year, the idea of “leftovers” might not be quite as appetizing as it was a few weeks ago, while we were relaxing with family and friends during the holidays. But 2026 greets us with a challenge that went unmet last year: securing Pennsylvania’s energy future in a way that benefits our economy, environment, and everyday lives.
Why is this a challenge? Because we are currently facing difficulties of our own making, or perhaps more accurately, the consequences of our own inaction. Like New Year’s resolutions, the solutions will take more than promises.
At the heart of the issue is the remarkable speed and intensity of data center development in Pennsylvania. According to the most recent report from the independent market monitor for the 13-state PJM regional electric grid, data centers have dramatically increased costs for Pennsylvania’s energy consumers by as much as $23 billion across the PJM footprint over the past three years.
Rising electric costs
In other words, the primary reason electric costs are going up, and what increasingly worries public officials about grid reliability, is existing and projected future energy demand from data centers. That demand shows no sign of slowing down.
To be fair, data centers provide vital construction and technology service jobs, can help build local tax bases, and are seen as essential to economic competitiveness and national security. But all this comes at a very real cost borne by citizens — including those who may benefit, and many who do not.
So, what does this mean for decision-makers?
First, we need to manage the frenzied rush to build data centers by enacting strong standards to protect communities and energy consumers. These measures include requiring data centers to directly pay for necessary grid connection and expansion costs to accommodate their demand, and securing additional, preferably clean, generation to meet their needs. This is essential to help ensure grid reliability, along with expanding other programs and policies to make our grid more efficient and electrons more abundant.
Between recent efforts by the state Public Utility Commission to manage large energy user demand and legislation introduced in the General Assembly to address consumer and community concerns, we’re seeing the beginnings of a solution to several of these challenges.
These are urgently needed and should be advanced as soon as possible. Pennsylvania is not alone in developing these safeguards, so putting reasonable protections in place won’t hinder our competitiveness and will ensure this important industry develops in a sound and sustainable manner.
Diversifying the grid
Pennsylvania also needs to do all it can to diversify our electric grid, make it more efficient, and incentivize new, cleaner energy generation. Legislation from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Lightning Plan (House Bill 501 and Senate Bill 501) to expand our state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards should be front and center, as it would bring new generation technologies like advanced nuclear, renewables, and geothermal to our state and help reduce long-term costs.
Legislation to modernize existing energy efficiency programs (House Bill 505 and Senate Bill 505) — which have proven to reduce energy demand and save consumers money — should also cross the finish line this year. So should policies that further encourage utilities to deploy advanced transmission technologies to bolster grid resilience.
Pennsylvania also needs to examine how we can better facilitate project development at the local level, where both a lack of capacity and intentional impediments have stymied the expansion of a clean energy supply. We can have strong protections in concert with fair and efficient review.
Protesters rally in Manassas, Va., in 2023 against a newly built data center for Amazon. New data centers are planed nationwide.
On top of the energy cost considerations, we also need to ensure data centers do not overtax water resources (which could cause similar cost inflation for public water users) or worsen our air quality. On this latter point, data centers should be required to maximize battery storage instead of using polluting backup generators.
This may sound like a large to-do list, but it’s one Pennsylvania can’t afford to ignore any longer.
2026 can be the year we move forward together and forge energy solutions that help our communities, economy, and environment. Let’s not lose another moment or any further opportunities to build an affordable, reliable, and prosperous clean energy future.
Tom Gilbert is president of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
On Jeopardy!, contestants give their answers in the form of a question. Scott Riccardi’s should’ve been, “How do you pronounce Schuylkill?”
During Tuesday’s episode, the New Jersey native and his two competitors were given a U.S. geography clue close to home: “Pottsville & Reading both lie on this river that enters the Delaware at Philadelphia.”
Riccardi answered the clue correctly, but only after host Ken Jennings paused to determine if his pronunciation — “Skol-kull” — was close enough to award him $1,600.
As least he got the correct river. TJ Fisher, a marketing specialist from San Francisco, guessed “Lackawanna,” nailing the pronunciation but missing the answer by more than 100 miles.
Paolo Pasco, a puzzle writer originally from San Diego, Calif., didn’t buzz in.
For the record, it’s pronounced “Skoo-kl.” One 15th century mapmaker just cut to the chase and labeled it the “Scool Kill River,” which would’ve been much easier to say and spell.
Jeopardy! is in the finals of its annual Tournament of Champions, which featured the show’s most recent top contestants. Pasco won Monday and Tuesday, and needs just one more victory to win the tournament and collect its $250,000 prize.
This week in Philly music features a Turnpike Troubadours and Robert Earl Keen double bill, two shows with rising Americana star Kashus Culpepper, a Black History Month celebration of Philly house music, Pulitzer Prize-winning drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and Brandi Carlile in South Philly opening her first-ever arena tour.
Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Mdou Moctar
Nigerian guitarist Mdou Moctar has been a regular in the Philadelphia region, fronting an electric band that showcases his Tuareg guitar music blended with hypnotic modern rock. This show is a rare solo set that will showcase his 2024 album Funeral for Justice in an intimate setting. Philly trumpeter and electronic musician Koof Ibi opens. 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1021 N. Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com
Thursday, Feb. 5
Turnpike Troubadours / Robert Earl Keen
Oklahoma sextet Turnpike Troubadours sounds as road tested as its band name implies on its seventh album, The Price of Admission. The Shooter Jennings-produced band has steadily risen in popularity with a dependable brand of fiddle- and steel guitar-fueled Red Dirt country.
Robert Earl Keen opens for Turnpike Troubadours at the Met Philly on Thursday.
And they get big points for taking Robert Earl Keen out on the road with them on this tour. The wry Texas songwriter, best known for outlaw narratives like “The Road Goes on Forever” and the hard-earned optimism of songs like “Feelin’ Good Again,” retired from touring in 2022 but has thankfully reneged on that vow. 8 p.m., Met Philly, 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com
Friday, Feb. 6
Kashus Culpepper
Join the Navy, then become a country and Americana star. That was Zach Bryan’s route to success, and Alabama native Kashus Culpepper has a similar origin story. The soulful singer started getting serious about music during the COVID-19 pandemic, and fronted cover bands before starting to write his own songs in 2023. His new album, Act I, features a guest appearance from Sierra Ferrell and Marcus King. He plays Free at Noon, then heads across town for another gig that night. Noon, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., xpn.org and 8 p.m., Foundry at the Fillmore, 29 E. Allen St., thefillmorephilly.com
Takuya Nakamura
Japanese pianist, trumpeter, and electronic musician Takuya Nakamura has collaborated with artists like Arto Lindsay and Quincy Jones and brings his space ambient mixture of jazz and jungle to Philly this weekend. 9 p.m., Warehouse on Watts, 923 N. Watts St., wowphilly.com
Tyshawn Sorey pays tribute to Max Roach at the Zellerbach Theatre on Friday.
Tyshawn Sorey
Drummer, composer, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Penn professor Tyshawn Sorey won’t have to travel far from the classroom to his Annenberg Center gig on Friday. He’s paying tribute to jazz giant Max Roach and his 1968 album Members, Don’t Git Weary with a band that includes trumpeter Adam O’Farrill. 7:30 p.m., Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St., pennlivearts.org
Lady Alma will perform at the Fallser Club on Saturday as part of the Legacy of Philadelphia House showcase.
Saturday, Feb. 7
The Legacy of Philadelphia House Music
This showcase is part of the Black History Month Celebration of Black Excellence at the Fallser Club. Spoken word poet Ursula Rocker will be joined by dance music diva Lady Alma, singer Carla Gamble, and DJ Sylo. A short film, featuring Sylk 130 creator King Britt, will be screened. 5 p.m., the Fallser Club, 3721 Midvale Ave., thefallserclub.org
Tom Mindte & Blue Mountain Boys / Midnight Flyer
A bluegrass double bill spotlighting mandolinist Tom Mindte, a standout of the Washington-Baltimore scene, comes to the Black Squirrel Club, the Fishtown venue that’s also home to a hotly tipped Monday night jazz jam. The night begins with an open-to-all-pickers bluegrass jam. 7 p.m., Black Squirrel Club, 1049 Sarah St., blacksquirrelclub.com.
Red Tailed Rounders / Ramona and the Holy Smokes
Saturday is bluegrass and country night, apparently. Philly’s quick-picking ensemble Red Tailed Rounders will be joined by Virginia honky-tonk band Ramona and the Holy Smokes. 8 p.m., MilkBoy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., milkboyphilly.com
Antarcigo Vespucci
The side project of prolific punk rock solo artist and former Bombthe Music Industry! leader Jeff Rosenstock and Chris Warren of Fake Problems hasn’t produced any new music since the 2018 album Love in the Time of E-Mail. But after reuniting last year, the duo is about to tour together this winter. Opener is Philly’s Golden Apples, whose latest is last year’s Shooting Star. 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com
Electric Guest / Snacktime
Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton of Electric Guest are in fine funky form on 10K, their first album in six years. Philly’s Snacktime opens the show, so here’s hoping they sit in with the headliners and turn the party up a notch. 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., utphilly.com
Denison Witmer
In 2020, the proud Pennsylvanian put out a single called “Lancaster County” about carrying the region with him as he traveled the world. This weekend, the singer-songwriter will be back in his hometown supporting his delicate and dreamy 2025 album Anything at All, which is produced by his old pal Sufjan Stevens. Witmer will play with a full band on Saturday, and a solo show on Sunday. 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, West Art, 816 Buchanon Ave., Lancaster, westartlanc.com
Brandi Carlile’s “The Human Tour” opens at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile will sing ”America the Beautiful” at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, and two days later, she kicks off her “Human Tour” in South Philly. The concert trek is for Returning to Myself, her new album that gets personal after she’s spent much time in recent years working alongside Joni Mitchell and Elton John, the latter of whom she teamed with on last year’s Who Believes in Angels. The Head and the Heart open. 8 p.m., Xfinity Mobile Arena, 3601 S. Broad St., xfinitymobilearena.com
Philadelphia has many thousands of vacant properties, and historically, some local politicians have sought to encourage razing such structures to prevent fire risks or eliminate drug havens.
But in the last couple of decades, as real estate development heated up in many neighborhoods, concerns emerged that potentially historic olderbuildings were being destroyed to make the vacant land more valuable.
“We know that when these properties are demolished in certain communities, that typically is a sign of gentrification,” Councilmember Jeffery Young, who represents much of North Philadelphia, said at a Tuesday hearing.
“When you demolish that property and you build up, you’re trying to make more money than the property was originally stated as a shell,” said Young, whose district also includes parts of Center City.
Young introduced a bill last year that would ban demolition permits from being issued in his district unless a property owner had secured building permitsfor a new project.
He said he saw the legislation as a means to encourage property owners to repair existing buildings and to ensure that vacant lots would not scar his district.
“When you rehab a property, the price is typically lower than a brand-new house, and so we’re trying to keep homes affordable,” Young said, “and prevent blight from our communities.”
Young’s bill would not apply to buildings deemed imminently dangerous by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections.
Last year Councilmember Jamie Gauthier passed a law containing a similar provision, but for a more tightly proscribed area that covered properties held by large higher education institutions in University City.
The Building Industry Association (BIA) presented a litany of concerns about Young’s bill at Tuesday’s Rules Committee hearing.
The BIA feared the legislation would delay projects, as many developers demolish structures while they are waiting for their building permits. The additional months in limbo would increase insurance, security, and financing costs, the group argued.
The bill could also encourage bad actors to engage in dangerous behavior, the BIA said.
“To qualify for an exception based on structural danger, certain property owners may be compelled to intentionally incur code violation or enforcement action to demonstrate instability,” said Kenn Penn, a local developer, who spoke on the BIA’s behalf. It “incentivizes the very condition that the city seeks to avoid.”
Penn also warned about the danger of preserving long-vacant properties.
“The bill would prevent demolition of vacant and unsecured structures that are highly susceptible to unlawful occupation,” Penn said. “Philadelphia has already experienced multiple fires this winter, many historically linked to squatters and abandoned buildings.”
Penn asked Young to limit the legislation to properties that do not have a vacant property license.
But the bill passed from the committee with only technical amendments.
“I understand the impacts this will have on the development community,” Young said. “But what I think this bill does is ensures that property owners maintain their properties in a prudent manner.”
Frank Reich and Aaron Glenn are teammates again with the New York Jets, looking to turn around the fortunes of a frustrated franchise.
Reich was hired Wednesday by Glenn as the Jets’ offensive coordinator — 30 years after they played together on New York’s 1-15 team. The former NFL and Stanford head coach replaces Tanner Engstrand, who agreed to part ways with the team last week after one season running the Jets’ offense.
Amid a major coaching staff shakeup this offseason, the 64-year-old Reich gives Glenn an experienced play caller and veteran presence on the offensive side of the ball. The team hired first-time defensive coordinator Brian Duker last week to replace Steve Wilks, who was fired with three weeks left in the season.
“Frank has a rare combination of experience, creativity, and calm under pressure,” Glenn said in a statement issued by the Jets.
Reich met in person with Glenn and the Jets on Tuesday after the team also sat down with Darrell Bevell and Greg Roman, other finalists for the job. The team had video meetings last week with all three candidates, as well as with Ronald Curry and Lunda Wells.
Reich went 4-8 as Stanford’s interim coach last season and was working in a senior adviser role for the Cardinal, who hired Tavita Pritchard as their coach in November. Reich was previously a head coach in the NFL for Indianapolis and Carolina.
He played 14 years in the NFL as quarterback, including during the 1996 season with Glenn when the Jets under Rich Kotite had the fewest wins in franchise history.
“He’s lived this game from every angle — as a quarterback in this league and as a coach who’s led offenses at the highest level,” Glenn said. “He is unique in his ability to see the game for what it is right now and adapt when appropriate. Frank understands offense and how to utilize the strengths of players.
“I am looking forward to how he will help this team have success.”
Reich went 40-33-1 with two playoff appearances in 4½ seasons as the head coach of the Colts before being fired in 2022. Reich, who was let go in midseason in back-to-back years, went 1-10 in a brief stint as Carolina’s coach in 2023. He previously had stops as the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers (2014-15) and Eagles (2016-17), helping Philadelphia win the Super Bowl during the 2017 season.
Reich spent last year as Stanford’s interim head coach, replacing Troy Taylor, and led the Cardinal to their most victories since 2020.
With the Jets, Reich inherits an offense that finished last in the NFL in passing yards and 29th in both total yards per game and points per game this season. With Justin Fields benched after starting just nine games, the Jets are likely to add a veteran quarterback in free agency and perhaps target a potential future starter in the NFL draft.
Fields and undrafted rookie Brady Cook, who started the last four games, are the only Jets quarterbacks under contract for next season. The team will have to make a major decision on running back Breece Hall, who is coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season but is scheduled to be a free agent. Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who was limited to seven games because of a knee injury after having 1,000 yards receiving in his first three years, is expected to be healthy and ready to play at the start of next season.
Reich was a backup to former Jets and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason for three years at Maryland before becoming a starter during a season in which he led the Terrapins to a 42-40 victory over Miami after trailing 31-0 at halftime. He was a third-round draft pick of Buffalo in 1985 and spent most of his 10 years with the Bills as Jim Kelly’s backup.
During the 1992 season, Reich stepped in for an injured Kelly during the playoffs and rallied the Bills from a 32-point deficit to beat the Houston Oilers in the wild-card round in what was then the biggest comeback in NFL history.
Reich was the first quarterback in Carolina Panthers history in 1995 before joining the Jets the next season. He spent his final two years with Detroit. Reich began his coaching career as an intern with the Colts in 2006.
