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After the way NO killed the good vibe early this season you would hope the Panthers come out fired up and focused this time -
Barring an extreme shock, the Panthers won't be directly involved in the annual head coaching carousel this seasdon. Still, for those who like to keep up on this sort of thing for the future or just wanna get a line on who we could potentially lose, here's some info. Tom Pelissero does this every year for NFL.com, but the article I'm looking at today is from Sports Illustrated writer Conor Orr. The Top NFL Head Coaching Candidates Teams Will Consider for 2026 As with Pelissero's article (linked below) former Panthers OC Joe Brady is listed as a top candidate, as is another former Panthers OC (who had an arguably more contentious exit) Thomas Brown. He had issues here, but is doing much better these days working with Drake Maye up in Foxboro. Posted below are the Panthers relevant sections of the article. And lemme just add that while the first name mentioned here probably won't surprise you, the second one might. _______________________________ Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers Evero has been a bright spot on many underperforming teams, having unfortunately gotten his break as a play-calling coordinator with both the Broncos during the pre–Sean Payton era and the Panthers. Still, the reality of Carolina’s defensive turnaround has been stunning. Despite having one of the worst defenses in history last year, the Panthers did not spend a first-round pick on defense and Evero has led a unit that’s allowed 20 or fewer points four times and shut out the division-rival Falcons. I am sure Evero will one day become a head coach, as evidenced by the fact that he’s continued to receive interviews even during the darkest seasons. Perhaps Carolina’s turnaround, which currently has the Panthers tied with the Buccaneers atop the NFC South. Brad Idzik, offensive coordinator, Carolina Panthers Idzik, 34, the son of longtime respected NFL personnel man John Idzik Jr., is an analytical mind valued by Dave Canales not only for his data-driven approach to the game but the way he can develop talent and place talent into advantageous positions. The potentially playoff-bound Panthers have completed a stunning turnaround while simultaneously grooming a young core of players, from first-round talents all the way to undrafted free agents. _______________________________ I'll also throw in a couple of additional indirectly Panthers related mentions: Drew Terrell, pass-game coordinator/wide receivers coach, Arizona Cardinals Terrell left the Commanders in 2022 for Arizona with a promotion that includes coordination responsibilities. The Stanford receiver and special teams ace has been in the NFL coaching ranks since 2018, climbing the ladder from quality control coach with the Panthers to pass-game coordinator with the Cardinals. Frank Smith, offensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins Smith has been a mainstay on our list for the past few seasons, with his former head coach at Butler, Jeff Voris, telling me for a previous list that, “Interviewing him was one of the most unique experiences I ever had. When [Frank and I started together], we hadn’t won a game in two years, an 18-game losing streak. He became my right-hand man, and in four years, we were 11–1, won a championship and he was the offensive coordinator doing the whole thing. I became his assistant coach at some point.” As the totality of Miami’s roster-building struggles comes into full view, seeing Smith and head coach Mike McDaniel build a successful offense without much in the way of resources continues to be a strong case in Smith’s favor. He last interviewed for a head coaching job with the Panthers in 2024, when they hired Dave Canales. _______________________________ I only vaguely remember Terrell. I do recall Smith being a guy some folks really wanted to get our head coaching job before they went with Canales. It might be a down year for the Dolphins, but Smith is apparently still getting attention. Lastly, as mentioned above, here's the Pelissero version for those who want to review what it says. 2026 NFL head coach hiring cycle: 24 young candidates to know
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