Why Dave Canales Fired Ejiro Evero Hours After Panthers' Loss in Green Bay

The Carolina Panthers fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero on Friday morning, hours after the team got home from Thursday night's 27-19 loss at Green Bay. Passing game coordinator Jonathon Cooley was let go too, and defensive line coach Todd Wash is the interim coordinator.

Panthers coach Dave Canales talked it through with general manager Dan Morgan, executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, and owner David Tepper before deciding over the past few weeks.

"Ultimately, this is my decision," Canales said. "This falls squarely under the responsibilities of the head coach. And so, as I was evaluating it and looking for what was best for the 2026 Carolina Panthers, this was a decision that we discussed and weighed in all the factors, the timing of it, the position of our group, all of those things, to make the best decision going forward. But ultimately it had to come from me, and it had to come from something that I believe in and that I want for our players."

Carolina is 3-4 with 10 games left. The Green Bay loss, in which the Packers sacked Bryce Young six times, came four days after a 43-13 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Evero was the defensive coordinator for all of Canales' tenure, which began in 2024. The Panthers extended his contract by a year after that season, when injuries left them without players like Derrick Brown and the defense set a league record for points allowed.

Friday's move was Canales' first major coaching change since he was hired.

Players had the day off after landing back in Charlotte in the early morning hours. Canales sent the whole team a message so they would hear it from him and not social media, then talked with members of the leadership council.

Wash and Canales worked together with the Seattle Seahawks in the early 2010s. Wash went on to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive line and then spent five years as their defensive coordinator, with three top-10 finishes in total defense and a trip to the 2017 AFC Championship Game.

He joined Carolina in 2023 and was kept on when Canales arrived. Brown set a league record for tackles by a defensive lineman that season.

"Experience, understanding of front play, run game mechanics, how that's all tied in," Canales explained. "And then from just an observation, I've known him for a long time. We go back to our days in Seattle, but even here, 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 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," Canales continued. "And so I appreciate that, and I'm excited about what happens with the whole group as they get connected and play together."

Outside linebackers coach AC Carter will work more with the defensive line, and Renaldo Hill stays with the secondary. Canales did not rule out more additions to the staff.

Shoring up the run defense is the first priority. The front includes Brown, Tershawn Wharton, rookie Lee Hunter, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, and inside linebackers Devin Lloyd and Bobby Okereke.

Carolina played Green Bay without cornerbacks Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and Akayleb Evans, who went on injured reserve Thursday. Rookie Will Lee III was carted off with a hamstring injury during the game.

The Panthers signed cornerback Caelen Carson to the practice squad Friday, giving them six cornerbacks there. Canales said after the loss that practice squad cornerback Corey Thornton would get a chance "real soon," as The Athletic's Joe Person reported.

Carolina has a mini-bye before hosting the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Nov. 8.