The Carolina Panthers announced Friday that they have 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. The move marks the first coordinator firing of the NFL season and comes as the Panthers sit at 3-4 in the standings.
Defensive line coach Todd Wash has been named interim defensive coordinator and play-caller, while outside linebackers coach/run game specialist AC Carter will also take on additional defensive line coaching duties. Head coach Dave Canales stated the changes were made to address the team’s defensive performance.
Defensive struggles and injuries
The Panthers’ defense has regressed this season, allowing 27.6 points per game, which ranks 27th in the NFL. The unit has been further hampered by injuries, with starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, backup cornerback Akayleb Evans, linebackers Nic Scourton and Thomas Incoom, and defensive tackle Cam Jackson all currently on injured reserve.
Evero, who joined the Panthers in 2024, oversaw a defense that improved from 31.4 points allowed per game in 2024 (last in the NFL) to 23 points per game in 2025 (16th in the NFL). However, the unit has struggled in 2026, conceding 27.6 points per game and ranking 27th in total defense (349.6 yards allowed per game). The defense allowed 552 yards in a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 2 and 258 rushing yards in a 43-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday.
Coaching background and interim staff
Wash, who has 20 years of NFL coaching experience, will serve as interim defensive coordinator. He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2016 to 2020 before joining the Panthers’ staff in 2023. Cooley, who was also dismissed, had been with the Panthers since 2023 and won a Super Bowl with Evero as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. Evero previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2022.
The Panthers, who lead the NFC South, will look to rebound when they host the Denver Broncos in Week 9. The team’s next game will test the interim defensive staff’s ability to stabilize a unit that has struggled despite facing a division with limited offensive firepower.