The Panthers have found a new offensive coordinator.
According to multiple reports, Carolina is expected to hire former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo for the role.
McAdoo most recently served as a consultant for the Cowboys in 2021. He was the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach in 2020 before that staff was fired following the season.
Per Joe Person of TheAthletic.com, McAdoo interviewed to be the Panthers’ quarterbacks coach in each of the last two offseasons but didn’t get the job. But one of the qualities head coach Matt Rhule said he was looking for in an offensive coordinator was previous NFL play-calling experience.
McAdoo fits that mold. He was the Packers tight ends coach from 2006-2011 before serving as the team’s quarterbacks coach from 2012-2013. He then joined the Giants as an offensive coordinator from 2014-2015. New York finished No. 6 in points and No. 8 in yards in 2015.
But when McAdoo was the Giants’ head coach from 2016-2017, New York’s offense struggled. Despite winning 11 games to earn a postseason appearance, the Giants were 25th in yards and 26th in points in McAdoo’s first year. Things bottomed out in 2017, as McAdoo was fired after the club started 2-10. The team finished the year 31st in points.
McAdoo inherits an offense that was 29th in points and 30th in yards in 2021. Plus, Carolina has serious questions at quarterback entering 2022. Sam Darnold is under contract with his fifth-year option, but completed only 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,527 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games in 2021.
Carolina fired Joe Brady as its offensive coordinator on Dec. 5.