Panthers announce changes to coaching staff for 2026

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The Carolina Panthers officially minted a number of changes under head coach Dave Canales ahead of the 2026 campaign.

As announced on Wednesday, the reigning NFC South champions have made three additions to their coaching staff. The newcomers include associate head coach and offensive specialist Darrell Bevell, senior offensive consultant Carl Smith and special teams and defensive assistant Dwayne Stukes.

Canales spoke about Smith, the father of Panthers special teams coordinator Tracy Smith, on Monday.

“At the end of this past season, I had an opportunity to bring in Carl Smith—a coach that we affectionately call ‘Tater,'” Canales told reporters. “He’s one of my primary football mentors, somebody who brings years of experience, was a sounding board for Pete [Carroll] for a lot of those years while we were in Seattle and a guy that I really trust who really raised me in the coaching profession in terms of game-clock management, training the quarterback, just offensive philosophy and different things we’ve talked about over the years.”

Carolina, additionally, adjusted the titles for a few coaches who were already on the staff. Linebackers coach Pete Hansen will also serve as the assistant defensive coordinator and Mike Bercovici, formerly an assistant quarterbacks coach and pass game specialist, is now the offensive pass game coordinator.

Here, per Panthers.com, is the entire coaching staff (listed in alphabetical order) heading into the new season:

  • Daren Bates, Special Teams Assistant
  • Jessica Beckenstein, Head Coach Assistant & Coaching Operations Manager
  • Mike Bercovici, Offensive Passing Game Coordinator
  • Darrell Bevell, Associate Head Coach & Offensive Specialist
  • Dave Canales, Head Coach
  • AC Carter, Outside Linebackers & Run Game Specialist
  • Mayur Chaudhari, Assistant Linebackers
  • Keyshawn Colmon, Offensive Assistant
  • Jonathan Cooley, Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
  • Scott Cooper, Director of Coaching Development
  • Ilir Emini, Defensive Assistant
  • Ejiro Evero, Defensive Coordinator
  • Joe Gilbert, Offensive Line
  • Harold Goodwin, Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator
  • Peter Hansen, Assistant Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
  • Will Harriger, Quarterbacks
  • Renaldo Hill, Secondary
  • Brad Idzik, Offensive Coordinator
  • George Li, Game Management Coordinator
  • Pat McPherson, Tight Ends
  • Rob Moore, Wide Receivers
  • Bernie Parmalee, Running Backs
  • Kevin Peterson, Defensive Assistant
  • Dean Petzing, Offensive Assistant
  • Carl Smith, Senior Offensive Consultant
  • Tracy Smith, Special Teams Coordinator
  • Dwayne Stukes, Special Teams & Defensive Assistant
  • Todd Wash, Defensive Line

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers officially announce changes to coaching staff for 2026

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