Panthers hire new defensive coach after loss to Packers

The Carolina Panthers already reshuffled their coaching staff this week, firing defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley after Thursday’s 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers . Defensive line coach Todd Wash stepped in as interim coordinator, and the moves left Carolina’s secondary without its position coach. With Cooley gone, the Panthers wasted little time finding reinforcement for a defensive backs room already adjusting to a new coordinator. They turned to a familiar face from the franchise’s recent past. MORE: Panthers part ways with defensive coach after Packers loss Panthers hire DeAngelo Hall to coach cornerbacks The Panthers are hiring DeAngelo Hall to help coach cornerbacks, a source told The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones. Hall, a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, previously served as Carolina’s assistant defensive backs coach in 2023 and 2024 under then-head coach Frank Reich. He worked directly alongside Cooley during that stint. Hall and the Panthers mutually parted ways in January 2025 so he could pursue a primary position coaching role, and he went on to interview with the San Francisco 49ers before the hire fell through. Why DeAngelo Hall’s return fits Carolina’s coaching shakeup Hall spent 14 seasons in the NFL , recording 43 interceptions and 141 pass breakups across stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders and Washington, earning Pro Bowl nods in 2005, 2006 and 2010. His familiarity with Carolina’s cornerbacks group gives Wash an experienced hand to lean on as the staff adjusts on short notice. The Panthers return to the field with their revamped defensive staff in place, looking to stabilize a unit that has struggled for consistency all season. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter  —