The Carolina Panthers dismissed defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley following their 34-20 defeat to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday. Evero became the first NFL coordinator to be fired during the 2026 season. The move marks the first significant coaching change by Panthers head coach Dave Canales since he assumed the role in 2024.
Canales confirmed that while he engaged with team owner David Tepper and the Panthers’ front office before making the decision, the choice to relieve Evero and Cooley of their duties was ultimately his own. Evero was hired by the Panthers in 2023, a year prior to Canales’ promotion to head coach. Under Evero’s leadership, Carolina’s defense showed some improvement, moving up from last place in the league in both yards and points allowed in 2024 to 16th in yards and 15th in points allowed last season.
Despite modest progress, the Panthers entered Week 8 with one of the league’s weaker defenses, ranked 22nd overall and dead last against the run. In the latest game against Green Bay, the defense limited the Packers to just 66 rushing yards. However, quarterback Jordan Love completed 30 of 41 passes for 288 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one interception, putting significant pressure on the Panthers’ secondary.
Injury woes further hindered the defense’s effectiveness. Carolina has been without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson for recent weeks. Backup cornerback Akayleb Evans was placed on injured reserve this week, and Will Lee, another substitute starter, left the game against the Packers in the first half due to injury. These absences contributed to the struggles in the secondary and complicated Evero’s efforts to sustain defensive consistency.
The Panthers now face the task of stabilizing their defense as they prepare for upcoming matchups, with the coaching staff restructuring signaling a commitment to reversing their defensive slide this season.