Panthers relieve Evero of defensive coordinator duties

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  Mike KayeOct 30, 2026, 10:41 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers announced the team has relieved Ejiro Evero of defensive coordinator duties on Friday, following the team's 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

Through seven games this season, Evero's unit ranked 30th in rushing defense, ninth in passing defense and 23rd in total defense. The group allowed 291 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears and 258 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In Thursday's loss Packers, the defense allowed 354 net yards and four touchdowns on the road. Despite being one of the more popular head coach candidates of the past five offseasons, Evero's tenure with the team will end after 59 games with 10 matchups left on this year's schedule.

Longtime defensive line coach Todd Wash, who has been part of Evero's staff throughout his tenure in Carolina, will serve as interim defensive coordinator for the rest of the season. Wash previously served as the Jacksonville Jaguars coordinator from 2016 to 2020. In 2017, Wash oversaw the league's second-ranked defense and the Jaguars made it to the AFC Championship Game.

Evero, 45, had led the Panthers' defense since 2023, as he predated the hiring of coach Dave Canales in 2024. Despite finishing as the fourth-ranked overall unit in his first season at the helm, Evero's group became the first defense since 1980 to allow 3,000 rushing yards in a single campaign.

Since 2024, Evero's defenses have allowed a league-leading 12 games of 200 or more rushing yards by an opponent. That's six more times than the next defensive unit (Giants, Commanders).

The unit improved across the board in 2025 following the additions of safety Tre'von Moehrig in free agency and outside linebackers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen in the draft. But the start of 2026 featured extreme mixed results. While the group held standout running backs Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs to pedestrian numbers -- for them -- in impressive wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, respectively, the defensive also had massive letdowns against the Bears, Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns.

Along with Evero's departure, the team is also moving on from passing game coordinator Jonathon Cooley, who has been a part of Evero's staff since 2023. The pair won a Super Bowl together with the Los Angeles Rams as assistant coaches.