Carolina Panthers Head Coach Search Tracker

The search for the next head coach is underway.

For the second time in as many years, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper is in search of a new head coach. He will also be looking for a new general manager after deciding to move on from Scott Fitterer after three seasons.

It's going to be a busy offseason, to say the least. To keep you up to date with the search for a new head coach, we have created this tracker.

Here is a rundown of who those candidates are, per the official team site.

Panthers interim head coach Chris Tabor

Tabor is considered to be one of the top special teams coordinators in the NFL and is a true leader of men. He is well-respected by his players and is someone who can command a locker room. Don't let the 1-5 record as the interim fool you. He was thrown into a difficult situation, leading a team that had no hope on the offensive side of the football. He completed a virtual interview with the team on Wednesday.

Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson

Johnson does not call the play in Philadelphia as that is Nick Sirriani's responsibility, but he has had a big hand in the success and efficiency of their offense since he arrived in 2021. He will garner interest around the league as well, but may need another year or two before landing a head coaching gig.

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson

The 37-year-old is a Carolinian through and through. He's a native of Charleston, South Carolina but played his high school ball at A.C. Reynolds in Asheville before playing for the University of North Carolina.

Last season, he helped transform the Lions' offense finishing the year 5th in scoring (26.6 ppg), 4th in total offense (380 ypg), 8th in passing (251.8 ypg), and 11th in rushing (128.2 ypg).

This year, Detroit's offense finished 3rd in total yards (394.8), 5th in rushing (135.9), and 5th in scoring 27.1.

Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik

Slowik is a fast riser around the league, having only spent one year as an offensive coordinator with no prior experience of having a position group to hisself. But what he did this season with the Texans' offense and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is remarkable.

Stroud threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns to just five interceptions as a rookie, leading Houston to an AFC South division title. Houston finished the year ranked 12th in total offense (342.4 ypg), seventh in passing (245.5 ypg), 22nd in rushing (96.9 ypg), and 13th in scoring (22.2 ppg). 

Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan

Callahan was the first name to be mentioned for the Panthers' job and will likely be a candidate several other teams will like to meet with. He has spent the last five years with the Bengals and played a key part turning the franchise around working with QB Joe Burrow and a strong receiving core, headed by Ja'Marr Chase.

Burrow played in just ten games this year before suffering a season-ending wrist injury which could have derailed their season. Instead, the Bengals hung around in the AFC North to the very end winning four of their last six games with Jake Browning running the show.

Back in 2022, Callahan's offense ranked 7th in total yards per game (257.9) and 7th in points per game (25.7).

In addition to Burrow, Callahan has also worked with Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn

Dan Quinn was on the long list of candidates a year ago and has found his way back on Carolina's radar once again. 

The former Falcons head coach is considered to be one of the top defensive minds in the NFL, dating back to his days with the Seattle Seahawks and their Super Bowl run.

In just his second year with Atlanta, Quinn guided the Falcons to the Super Bowl, the one where they blew a 28-3 lead against the New England Patriots. Quinn was relieved of his duties after five years and some change on the job, finishing with a record of 43-42.

This season, Quinn's Cowboys finished with the fifth-ranked defense (299.7 yapg), fifth in scoring defense (18.5 ppg), 16th in rushing defense (112.4 ypg), and fifth in passing (187.4 ypg).

Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald

Macdonald is in his second stint with the Ravens, this time serving as the defensive coordinator. 

From 2104-17, he served in various position coach roles before going down to the collegiate ranks to work with the other Harbaugh brother, Jim, at Michigan. There, he coached one of the top defenses in the nation in 2021 which led to his return to Baltimore just one year later to lead the defensive unit.

Baltimore led the NFL in sacks per game this season (3.5) and points allowed (16.5) while finishing 6th in passing defense (191.9), 14th in rushing defense (109.4) and 6th in total defense (301.4).

Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith

Smith has been in the NFL since 2010, spending time with the Saints, Bears, Raiders, Chargers, and Dolphins. He's never called plays in the league but does have a history of doing so if you go back to his day as the OC at Butler from 2007-09. 

Although he doesn't call the shots in Miami, he has been instrumental in the development of Miami's run game which ranks sixth in the NFL at 135.8 yards per game. His background of working in an offense with Tua Tagovailoa, a smaller quarterback, could help get the best out of Bryce Young - a scheme that focuses on getting the ball out quick and having a ton of speed at the skill positions.

Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris

Morris is an NFL coaching veteran, having coached in the league for the better part of the last twenty years minus the one year he spent as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006. 

After two successful years as the defensive coordinator in Tampa Bay in which his unit finished 2nd and 9th in total defense in 2007 and 2008, Morris was awarded the Bucs' head coaching job.

Unfortunately, his first head coaching stint didn't go all that well notching just one winning season in four years. At the time of his dismissal, he had a record of 21-38.

Over the last three years, he has served as the Rams' defensive coordinator and his unit has finished 13th, 18th, and 20th in total defense, respectively.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Monken has spent the last 34 years of his life coaching football, bouncing back and forth from the NFL and college, typically in an offensive coordinator role. Monken did have one head coaching stint at Southern Miss which only lasted three seasons thanks to a 13-25 overall record.

Here recently, Monken helped the Georgia Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships and helped develop former walk-on Stetson Bennett into a Heisman Trophy finalist.

This season, he helped Lamar Jackson return to MVP form as the Ravens clinched the top seed in the AFC.

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales

Canales spent over a decade with the Seattle Seahawks, meaning he has a working history with Panthers interim GM Dan Morgan. 

In his first year as an offensive coordinator, Canales' offense finished 20th in scoring (20.5 ppg), 17th in passing (224.2 ypg), 32nd in rushing (88.8 ypg), and 23rd in total offense (313 ypg).

Although the Bucs' rush attack never got going, he did play a big part in Baker Mayfield reviving his career, a year in which he threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.

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