Panthers Complete Four Virtual Interviews with Head Coaching Candidates

The search is well underway.

Things are starting to move along for the Carolina Panthers in their search for a new head coach as they've now completed virtual interviews with four candidates. 

According to the team, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and Panthers interim head coach Chris Tabor have completed an interview over Zoom. In-person interviews can not take place until January 22nd.

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.

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).

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.

Ejiro Evero

Evero did a great job with defense in his lone season in Denver in 2022 and that success has translated to this year's group in Carolina. The Panthers' defense has been riddled with injuries all season long, yet they rank third in the league in yards allowed (298.1) and third in passing defense (175.1 ypg).

His unit lost linebacker Shaq Thompson early in the season for the year and Jaycee Horn missed 11 games in addition to several others missing games here and there. Not to mention, he had to reshape this defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 with several guys playing new positions and doing so at a high level.

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