Carolina Panthers fire defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero

CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero after four years with the franchise. Defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley was also fired.

A very bad week of defense was enough to cost Ejiro Evero his job with the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers fired Evero, the defensive coordinator, and passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley on Friday after conceding 43 points to Tampa Bay and 27 to Green Bay in a five-day span. Defensive line coach Todd Wash will step in as the defensive play-caller for the remaining 10 games.

“Ultimately, when I look at how many games we have in front of us, the position we’re at in the division, and really just wanted to get the most out of our guys and really making that decision,” coach Dave Canales said Friday. “I take that responsibility very seriously as the head coach, and I know it’s my responsibility to put the players in a position where they feel confident, where they feel ready to go. “Just took in a lot of information and came to this conclusion at this point right now to be able to lay the groundwork for the style of football that we want to play.”

Against Green Bay, which has the league’s worst rushing attack, the Panthers couldn’t contain Jordan Love, who connected on 30-of-41 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns.

Over Evero’s four seasons in Charlotte, the Panthers rank 30th in points per game at 26.3, including a historically bad 2024 season when the allowed a league record for points allowed with 534. This year’s defense has been racked by injuries, especially in the secondary where starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin) have been sidelined for most of the campaign.

Carolina (3-4) is tied with Atlanta for the NFC South lead despite having one of the NFL’s leakiest defenses. In addition to the 43 points racked up by Tampa Bay in Week 6, the Panthers conceded a team-record 59 to Chicago in the season opener. Wash’s task is simple: turn the defense around while there’s a chance to compete for the division title.  

“Just want to see the guys connected,” Canales said. “I want to see them excited about going out there and executing the plan, and playing fast, playing the physical brand. The effort’s been there and those things are right, but I know that we can make strides with being able to get everybody on the same page, tying in the whole unit. Eleven is one, do your 1/11, and being able to execute that way – that’s what I’m hoping happens.”

Wash, who is in his fourth season with the Panthers, was Jacksonville’s defensive coordinator from 2016-20 when the Jaguars finished in the top 10 in total defense three times and advanced to the AFC title game in 2017.

Wash has 31 years of coaching experience, including 20 in the NFL, with Tampa Bay, Seattle, and Detroit.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Canales said. “We go back to our days in Seattle, but even here, his connection with the players, he knows their stories, he’s connected to their lives, he pushes them hard and trains them hard, and I feel like he does a great job. 

“I believe he does a great job of earning the right to be able to push guys because of the emotional equity that he pours into his groups, and so I appreciate that, and I'm excited about what that what happens with the whole group as they get connected and playing together.”

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