Panthers' latest coaching staff loss could be sign of major NFL news on horizon

Carolina does not expect assistant coach Nathan Carroll to return in any capacity in 2025.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 06: Andy Dalton #14 of the Carolina Panthers talks with passing game coordinator Nathan Carroll prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 06, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. | Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The NFL's head coach hiring cycle is in full swing, and for once the Carolina Panthers are not involved. Team owner David Tepper seems satisfied with the work that rookie coach Dave Canales did during the 2024 season - at least satisfied enough not to fire him and start over again, as he has with several other coaches since he bought the franchise - including dismissing Frank Reich after less than a full season as head coach.

Several teams are looking to fill openings, though - and the Panthers' staff will feel at least a little bit of a shakeup as a result. The latest news coming out of BofA Stadium could be a sign that one of those jobs is about to be taken. According to a report by Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, the Panthers do not expect passing game coordinator Nathan Carroll to return in any capacity in 2025.

Carroll is the son of former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who had Nathan on his staff previously as their wide receivers coach, a role that wasonce held by Canales. This news could be a sign that Nathan intends to join his dad's staff again as part of a new job in the NFL.

On that front, Carroll did not get any interest last year after the Seahawks fired him. However, Carroll has interviewed with two teams this year: the Chicago Bears and the Las Vegas Raiders. While there's no report as of yet that either team has made a decision, if Carroll knows that he's going to get either one of those jobs, it may explain why Nathan is moving on from the Panthers.

The Raiders' head coach job is considered a hot one because of the presence of Tom Brady, but Carroll is a far better fit for the Bears, who are much closer to contending than the Raiders. Carroll has also been linked to the Dallas Cowboys' head coach opening.

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