(Updated Friday Jan. 19 at 7:35 p.m.)
CHARLOTTE —The Panthers conducted their 11th interview for the open head coaching position, meeting with Ben Johnson, for a virtual interview on Friday. Johnson is the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions.
Since Johnson took over as passing game coordinator and offensive coordinator, the Lions offense has consistently been in the top five in both total offense and passing offense. The Lions are currently preparing for the divisional round in the NFC playoffs.
Teams will be allowed to begin in-person interviews on Monday.
(Updated Thursday, Jan. 18, at 9:45 p.m.)
The Panthers concluded Thursday with a third virtual interview for the head coach position, interviewing Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
Canales spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks and helped revitalize the career of Geno Smith. During his past year with the Bucs, Canales has coached Baker Mayfield to his best season in the NFL.
Teams will be allowed to begin in-person interviews next week, on Monday, Jan. 22.
(Updated Thursday, Jan. 18, at 5:40 p.m.)
The Panthers have wrapped up a virtual interview with another coordinator, this time with Houston Texans offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik.
Slowik is a part of the Shanahan coaching tree, switching from defense to offense while with the 49ers. Now with the Texans, he's helped develop rookie C.J. Stroud to a Top 10 league finish in total passing and passing yards per game.
(Updated Thursday, Jan. 18, at 12:45 p.m.)
The Panthers completed their eighth interview Thursday afternoon, this time with Bengals offensive coordinator, Brian Callahan.
The son of former Raiders head coach, Bill Callahan, the Bengals OC helped lead Joe Burrow and the offense to Top 10 finishes in both points scored and yards, for the 2022 season.
This was a virtual interview, as in-person interviews are not allowed to begin until Monday (January 22).
(Updated Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 6:10 p.m.)
The Panthers interviewed their second candidate with a defensive background Wednesday, completing a virtual interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Quinn, who took the Falcons to a Super Bowl when he was head coach there, has been the Cowboys coordinator since 2021. He was also the Seahawks' coordinator for their Super Bowl win before he went to Atlanta.
(Updated Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 4:20 p.m.)
The Panthers have completed another virtual interview for the head coaching position, this time with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. The interview was conducted on Wednesday.
Morris has served as the Rams DC since 2021, helping lead the team to a Super Bowl win that season. He has previous head coaching experience, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011.
In-person interviews can begin January 22.
(Updated Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 6:40 p.m.)
The team completed its fifth virtual interview for the head coaching vacancy on Tuesday.
The most recent interview was with Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith.
Smith was a longtime Saints assistant before joining the Dolphins in 2022 as coordinator. They led the league in total offense this season.
In-person interviews can't begin until Jan. 22.
(Updated Thursday, Jan. 11 at 10:02 p.m.)
The Panthers have conducted three more virtual interviews for the head coaching vacancy, getting them to four so far.
The team has completed interviews with Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, and Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
Teams can only conduct virtual interviews this week with coaches working for teams that didn't make the playoffs, or teams with playoff byes.
No virtual interviews with coaches from teams playing this weekend can begin until next Tuesday or Wednesday (three days after their games).
No in-person interviews can begin until Jan. 22.
(Updated Wednesday, Jan. 10, 5:05 p.m.)
The Panthers have completed their first interview of the head coaching process.
Interim coach Chris Tabor completed a virtual interview with the team on Wednesday.
The team is also expected to interview defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the position as well.
Tabor helped keep the team competitive in the final six weeks of the season, after head coach Frank Reich was fired following Week 11. Tabor has built a reputation as one of the league's top special teams coaches.
Evero, who interviewed for the job last season as well, is coming off a season in which the Panthers survived a mass of injuries but still finished fourth in the league in total defense.
(Updated Wednesday, Jan,. 10 at 12:50 p.m.)
The Panthers added a 10th name to the coaching search list, adding another candidate with an impressive offensive resume.
The team requested permission to interview Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson.
Johnson is in his first year as coordinator in Philadelphia, was previously quarterbacks coach there, and was integral to the development of Jalen Hurts.
He also has experience at the college level and was Dak Prescott's quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State.
(Originally published Monday, Jan 8, at 05:57 p.m.)
The Panthers have submitted a list of requests for interviews with nine coaching candidates so far on Monday.
The Panthers have requested permission to interview the following coaches:
— Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
— Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik
— Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan
— Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn
— Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald
— Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith
— Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris
— Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken
— Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales
We will update this tracker as candidates are confirmed. No in-person interviews can be conducted until Jan. 22, but Zoom interviews can happen before then. Coaches are listed below in alphabetical order.
