By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley following the team’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
Evero is the first NFL coordinator to be fired this season.
Carolina (3-4) entered Week 8 ranked 22nd in overall defense and last in the league against the run.
The Evero firing is the first major coaching move by Dave Canales since he taking over as head coach in 2024.
Canales said that while he consulted with team owner David Tepper, general manager Dan Morgan and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis on the move, ultimately it was his decision.
“This falls squarely under the responsibilities of the head coach,” Canales said Friday. “As I was evaluating it and looking for what was best for the 2026 Carolina Panthers this was a decision that we discussed and weighed in all of the factors, the timing of it, the position of our group, all of those things to make the best decision going forward.”
Evero was hired by Carolina in 2023, one year before Canales took over as head coach.
The Panthers finished last in the league in defense and points allowed in 2024. The defense improved to 16th in the league overall last season and 15th in points allowed.
Tepper talked before the season about getting back to the playoffs after winning the NFC South last season.
But it’s been a rough season for the defense.
Green Bay’s Jordan Love was 30 of 41 passing for 288 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in Carolina’s latest loss.
It certainly hasn’t helped Evero’s cause that the Panthers have played the last few games without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Backup cornerback Akayleb Evans joined them on injured reserve earlier this week and another fill-in starter Will Lee was injured against the Packers in the first half and had to leave the game.
Horn and Jackson are both expected back later this season per initial report timelines.
Canales said that while he factored the injury situation into the equation, ultimately the decision was ultimately based on a “collection of information over time.”
“For me it was about making sure we can build the infrastructure of what we’re going to do, what it’s going to look like,” Canales said. “And as some guys come back to us they will be able to hear the principles, to be able to see what this looks like as we roll this out.”
Morgan announced in January that the team signed Evero to a contract extension even as his defenses have traditionally struggled against the run.
Evero’s defenses have surrendered a whopping 12 games of 200 yards or more rushing yards since 2024, by far the most in the league during the span. The New York Giants and Washington Commanders are the next closest, both allowing six 200-yard games during that span.
The Panthers allowed 291 yards rushing and six touchdowns on the ground in a Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears 258 yards rushing and three TDs in a defeat to Tampa Bay last week.
Defensive line coach Todd Wash has been pegged as the interim defensive coordinator and will call the defensive plays, according to the Panthers.
Wash joined Carolina’s staff in 2023 and has 31 years of coaching experience, including 20 in the NFL. He spent five seasons serving as the defensive coordinator for Jacksonville. The Jaguars had the second-ranked defense in the league in 2017 under Wash and advanced to the AFC Championship game.
It seems highly unlikely that Wash would completely overhaul the team’s defensive scheme midseason, but some tweaks from Evero’s system are expected. Evero used mostly a 3-4 base front mixed in with some 4-3 looks.
Canales said he wants to make sure his players are put in the best position to make plays on defense.
Outside linebackers coach/run game specialist AC Carter’s responsibilities will expand to include coaching the defensive line, the Panthers announced. Also, secondary coach Renaldo Hill will continue to oversee the defensive backs.
The Panthers aren’t expected to make any other coaching changes at this point.
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