CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Todd Wash has a second chance at calling plays in the NFL.
The longtime Carolina Panthers defensive line coach was promoted to interim defensive coordinator on Friday following the dismissal of Ejiro Evero, who had been his boss since 2023. Wash -- who served as the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2020 -- was emotional during his first meeting at the helm, according to several players on Tuesday, as he let the group feel his passion at the front of the room for the first time.
"That first meeting that we had with him, he almost teared up in there," Panthers pass rusher Princely Umanmielen said. "Like you could just really see the passion he has for the game. Just real genuine passion for the game. He got up there and the way he talked to us, the way he presented what the defense is gonna look like, you could just tell how much passion he has and it really makes you want to play hard for him."
Wash, who worked with general manager Dan Morgan and coach Dave Canales in Seattle from 2011 to 2012, was picked to replace Evero because of his experience as a coordinator. He helped lead the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game following the 2017 season, when Jacksonville had the No. 2 defense in the NFL.
After leaving Jacksonville in 2020, Wash spent the past six seasons working with defensive lines in Detroit and Carolina. He hadn't been on the defensive coordinator search radar over the past few years, and players said they could feel his excitement in regaining the role.
"It really means a lot to him," veteran outside linebacker Patrick Jones II said. "Like you could tell, he was emotional about it. ... And when you see someone go up there and talk like that -- their passion -- it gets you really fired up. ... Like, 'I want to go to war for you. I want to go to war with you.' Cause it really means something when it really means a lot."
Wash oversaw defensive tackle Derrick Brown's lone Pro Bowl season in 2023. The coach and the captain remain tight, and Brown, who had been an outspoken advocate for Evero, said Wash will value the input of his players based on his experience with him.
"He listens to his players, allows you to have a voice and also takes what you have to say into consideration," Brown said. "I think from Day 1 [in 2023] that's the way he's been with me and our room. And you appreciate that as a player."
The bulk of the locker room found out about Evero's dismissal Friday morning away from the facility. Multiple players said they were just waking up after a long, late flight back from Green Bay following the team's 27-19 loss to the Packers.
"Dan Morgan gave me a call -- that was the first person I heard it from, which I really appreciated," longtime Evero pupil and starting safety Nick Scott said. "And the message was -- it was the decision they had to make, I respected it and I know they had a job to do. Wish [passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley] and [Evero] the best of luck, thank them for the role they had in my career to this point, and now we're looking forward to this next game."
"I was genuinely shocked," Umanmielen said. "Like I was genuinely surprised, especially it happening in the middle of the season. Something that I wouldn't have expected at all."
The Panthers enter their Week 9 matchup on Sunday against the Denver Broncos with the league's 23rd-ranked defense, as the unit has given up 349.6 yards per matchup through seven games.
The group also ranks 30th in rushing defense (140.7 yards allowed per game), 29th in sacks percentage (4.56% of dropbacks) and 20th in interception rate (1.66% of pass attempts).
Wash will look to improve those numbers during the final 10 weeks. His background with defensive fronts is likely to lend itself to improving the run defense and pass rush during his interim tenure.
"I guess you could say it's cool because you know he's going to have a little bias there with the D-line," Umanmielen said. "Him being a D-lineman himself, I'm assuming that he would want to see the D-line be successful game in and game out, so it's nice to have a coach with that bias."
The Panthers are on a two-game skid and they're dealing with injuries on defense, including top pass rusher Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and rookie fill-in starting cornerback Will Lee III (hamstring). But their hope is that a new voice at the top of the defense, and perhaps some minor scheme adjustments, can lead to better results.
Wash and the defense will get the opportunity to make a positive reintroduction against Denver's 30th-ranked offense.
"We're in great hands," Scott said. "This is a guy that really cares and loves his job -- is going to pour everything into it, just like we would. So, we have a bunch of guys that are extremely passionate about this game, this sport, this phase of the ball, so we're going to put all of our trust and faith in him, as well as each other, and do whatever we can to continue to build this defense and put this team in positions to win games."