The Carolina Panthers moved quickly to patch up a defense that just lost two coaches in the span of a week.
After Thursday’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the team fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley. Defensive line coach Todd Wash was elevated to interim coordinator, and that left Carolina’s secondary without its position coach.
Now the Panthers are bringing back a familiar name.
Carolina is hiring DeAngelo Hall to help coach cornerbacks, a source told The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones.
Hall is no stranger to the organization. He worked as the Panthers’ assistant defensive backs coach in 2023 and 2024 under Frank Reich and Dave Canales, and he worked directly with Cooley during that stretch.
Hall and the Panthers mutually parted ways in January 2025 so he could pursue a primary position coaching role, and he later interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers before that opportunity fell through.
A three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Hall played 14 seasons in the NFL and finished with 43 interceptions and 141 pass breakups. His career included stops with the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders and Washington, and he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2005, 2006 and 2010.
For Wash, Hall’s return gives the staff an experienced voice in a cornerbacks room that has had to absorb another abrupt change. The Panthers now head back to the field with their revamped defensive staff in place, trying to steady a unit that has struggled for consistency all season.
In Other News...
Panthers Could Finally Get Offensive Help Back When They Need It Most
The Panthers may be getting a little healthier up front at a time when they could use it. Head coach Dave Canales said the team plans to open the 21-day practice window for offensive lineman Brady Christensen, who has been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and Carolina will now take a closer look at what he can add once hes back on the field.
Christensen is healthy and ready to return, and the staff will evaluate his potential contribution from there. Canales also said running back Jonathon Brooks and wide receiver Xavier Legette are being considered for a return to practice, though both remain under evaluation, giving Carolina a few more moving parts to sort through as it tries to piece together help on offense. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Turn To A Familiar Name As Cornerback Problems Mount
With injuries thinning out the cornerback room, the Panthers have turned to a familiar face to help steady the position group. Former Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall is back in Carolina as the teams new cornerbacks coach, joining Dave Canales staff at a time when the defense needs both continuity and a quick response to a growing list of absences.
Hall is no stranger to the organization, having previously worked as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Panthers, and his return comes as the team gets ready for its next game against the Denver Broncos. With the staff already dealing with a recent shakeup and the secondary stretched by injuries, Carolina is leaning on a coach who knows the building and the demands of the job. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Debate Ignores What Panthers Fans Should Really Fear
The talk around Bryce Young has picked up again, fueled by criticism from FOX Sports analysts Jason McIntyre and Colin Cowherd, but the bigger question for Carolina is not just whether the Panthers should move on from their young quarterback. It is how much of Youngs uneven season has been shaped by the situation around him, from heavy pressure to the knee injury that has complicated his year.
Lamar Jackson inevitably enters the conversation because a two-time MVP changes the ceiling of any offense, yet the practical hurdles are obvious for Carolina. A trade would bring major financial strain and force the Panthers to reshape the roster around a player they would have to pay and support immediately, which is why the debate is less about fantasy and more about whether such a swing would actually make the franchise better. [Read more 🡒]
