Panthers head coach Dave Canales fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley less than 12 hours after Thursday night’s loss to the Packers, and Canales said on Friday afternoon that he wants his players to be confident in their defense.
“I take that responsibility very seriously as the head coach. I know it’s my responsibility to put the players in a position where they feel confident, they feel ready to go,” Canales said. “I just want to see the guys connected. I want to see them excited about going out there and executing the plan, playing fast, playing physical. The effort has been there. Those things are right, but I know we can make strides with being able to get everybody on the same page.”
Canales said he “took in a lot of information” before firing Evero and Cooley and discussed it with owner David Tepper and General Manager Dan Morgan. But he added that he made the decision himself.
“Ultimately, this is my decision. This falls squarely under the responsibilities of the head coach,” Canales said. “Ultimately it had to come from me.”
Todd Wash, who had been the Panthers’ defensive line coach, has been promoted to defensive coordinator. Canales said Wash is great at bringing players together.
“I’ve known him for a long time,” Canales said. “His connection with the players, he knows these guys, he knows their stories, he’s connected to their lives. He pushes them hard and trains them hard, and he does a great job of earning the right to be able to push guys because of the emotional equity that he pours in. I appreciate that and I’m excited about what happens with the whole group when they get connected and play together.”
The Falcons will be without running back Brian Robinson against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Robinson has been ruled out for the second straight week with a hamstring injury. He had 53 carries for 211 yards and four touchdowns while working behind Bijan Robinson in the first six games of the season.
Khalil Herbert was elevated from the practice squad to serve as the backup running back last week and will likely be brought up again this weekend.
The Falcons also listed eight players as questionable for Sunday’s divisional matchup.
- Defensive back Billy Bowman (hamstring), linebacker Divine Deablo (forearm), defensive end Samson Ebukam (hamstring), defensive end Charles Snowden (back), cornerback Avieon Terrell (illness), and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (shoulder) were all limited participants in Friday’s practice. Wide receiver Beaux Collins (hip) and offensive tackle Cameron Williams (ankle) were full participants.
Panthers owner David Tepper had big expectations for his team in 2026. With a 3-4 record after seven games, the team is making some big changes.
The Panthers have announced the terminations of defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley.
Moving forward, defensive line coach Todd Wash will serve as defensive coordinator and call the defensive plays.
Outside linebackers coach/run game specialist AC Carter will also coach the defensive line, and secondary coach Renaldo Hill will continue to oversee the defensive backs.
Evero, 45, had worked for the Panthers since 2023, arriving as a member of Frank Reich’s staff. Evero remained in place after the hiring of Dave Canales in 2024.
In 2022, Evero was the defensive coordinator of the Broncos. His first job as an NFL position coach came in 2017, when Rams coach Sean McVay hired Evero to serve as safeties coach on McVay’s initial staff. Evero was secondary coach and passing game coordinator for the Rams in 2021, which resulted in a Super Bowl win.
Through it all, the Panthers remain tied for first place with the Falcons in the NFC South.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has been on the injury report since hurting his left knee during the team’s Week 3 loss to the Browns and he was asked if it was bothering him after Thursday night’s game in Green Bay.
Young was sacked six times, hit nine times, had passes batted down at the line and threw an interception while being pressured regularly in 27-19 loss to the Packers. The questions came because Young had little luck evading pressure which head coach Dave Canales said “maybe” was related to the knee issue, but Young waved that off when he spoke to reporters.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Young said, via the team’s website. “Everyone’s dealing with something at this point in the year. It’s football. Nothing like that is an excuse; go out there and play the game. I’m blessed to be able to do that. That’s all that matters.”
The quarterback wasn’t helped by the fact that the Panthers were forced to do more shuffling on the offensive line. Right tackle Taylor Moton went on injured reserve this week and left guard Damien Lewis was inactive, which led to Monroe Freeling and Corey Bullock starting up front. Bullock had to leave the game with a quad injury and Jake Curhan entered as the Panthers continued to patch things together on the fly in front of Young.
It didn’t work on Thursday and the Panthers will try and come up with something better when they try to snap their losing streak at home against the Broncos in Week 9.
The Milwaukee Brewers celebrated their World Series with a trip to Lambeau Field. The Packers joined in the celebration with a 27-19 victory over the Panthers.
It was closer than it should have been.
Trey Smack missed an extra point; the Packers turned it over three times, including a fumbled kickoff; and Green Bay let Carolina climb back into it after leading 27-10 midway through the third quarter. It’s the same problems the Packers have faced over the past two seasons — poor special teams play and choking big leads.
The Panthers outgained the Packers 109 to 32 in the fourth quarter.
The Packers didn’t blow this one, though, moving to 5-3. The Panthers fell to 3-4.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw incomplete on fourth-and-5 at midfield with 2:41 left in their best chance for a comeback.
Packers wide receiver Christian Watson left in an ambulance for a local hospital with 9:11 remaining in the first half. He had his chest injury examined there, and doctors cleared him to return. Watson returned to Lambeau Field in the passenger seat of the ambulance and had a clutch 7-yard reception on third-and-2 with 2:33 left. It allowed the Packers to run down the clock, with Carolina getting the ball back with only 22 seconds left.
Young was sacked six times, including by rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton with four seconds remaining.
Young, who was hit nine times, was 23-of-41 for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chuba Hubbard had 22 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown and seven catches for 38 yards. Tetairoa McMillan had six catches for 58 yards.
Ryan Fitzgerald made field goals of 39 and 50 yards.
The Packers outgained the Panthers 354 to 258.
Love finished 30-of-41 for 288 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. His touchdowns covered 12 yards to Tucker Kraft, 24 yards to Matthew Golden and 4 yards to Josh Jacobs. Jacobs also scored on a 1-yard run.
Jacobs rushed for 39 yards on 21 carries and caught six passes for 13 yards.
Watson had eight catches for 113 yards and Golden seven for 79.
Packers wide receiver Coleman Owen fumbled the opening kickoff, and Watson lost a fumble in the first half. The Panthers, though, got only a field goal out of the three takeaways.
