Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero‘s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 season. Although it was not revealed until Sunday, during head coach Dave Canales‘ end-of-season presser, Carolina extended Evero before the start of the ’25 campaign (via Joe Person of The Athletic). Person adds that the contract runs through 2027.
Evero, 45, has been with the Panthers since 2023, one year before Canales’ arrival. While new head coaches generally prefer to bring in their own coordinators, Canales noted at the outset that he hoped to retain Evero. As such, Carolina blocked him from taking defensive coordinator interviews with other clubs.
They could not prevent him from speaking with teams about a head coaching position, and he landed second HC interviews with three clubs in the 2024 cycle (including the Panthers, who ultimately settled on Canales). Obviously, he did not land any of those positions, but his status as one of the best defensive coaches in the game has endured.
Evero’s career as an NFL staffer began back in 2011 as a quality control coach with the 49ers. He eventually worked his way up the ranks and parlayed his work as the secondary coach and passing game coordinator with the Super Bowl champion Rams in 2021 into a defensive coordinator post with the Broncos in 2022.
That year was a disastrous one for the Broncos, who fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett in the middle of the campaign. Ejero’s defense, though, was not the problem, as his unit finished seventh in yards allowed. He declined to take the interim HC job upon Hackett’s dismissal and was released from his contract when Denver acquired Sean Payton.
In his first year with the Panthers in 2023, the club finished fourth in total defense (although Carolina surrendered the fourth-most points per game). In the first year of the Canales/Evero partnership in 2024, the Panthers finished dead last in terms of both total defense and scoring defense, which likely played a role in Evero’s absence from the 2025 HC circuit.
The Panthers nonetheless opted not only to retain Evero, but to extend his contract. While their surprising run to the playoffs in 2025 was made possible by a weak NFC South, they did push the Rams to the brink in a narrow wildcard-round loss on Saturday and ended the regular season in the middle of the pack with respect to yards allowed and points allowed.
As Carolina looks to build on something of a breakthrough, it will have continuity at the top of the coaching staff.
Free Bryce Young!
With the purchase of a medium drink?
Or how about A Tab instead?
I’m amazed the owner hasn’t fired anyone after yesterday’s loss. Seems to be his MO.
Evero is holding this defense back. Huge mistake.
Maybe blame the offense that couldn’t even put up 180 passing yds a game
Did Dowdle have a lingering injury? He was tearing it up when Hubbard was out and then they barely used him yesterday. Young should not throw 40 times, that should usually result in a loss.
It’s still not all that talented a defense. Much improved personnel, but still a lot of building to do there.
Need a pass rush. Just occasionally, please.
Helluva effort last night by Carolina but they lack a pass rusher to end the game.
Max Crosby suitors possibly?
Of course u don’t want Bryce throwing it 40 times, I absolutely agree with that, but I also want my qb’s at least 6’2 or 6’3 and not 5’10 with a small frame where hits take a more punishing toll
Their prevent defense prevented a win.