Fired Panthers Coach Lands New Job After Nearly a Month
By Jovan Alford
The Carolina Panthers made a few notable changes to their defensive coaching staff last month after an inconsistent performance this season. Carolina fired assistant DBs coach DeAngelo Hall, safeties coach Bert Watts, outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, and quality control coach Bobby Maffei.
Usually, when you have wholesale changes on one side of the ball, the coordinator is also let go. However, the Panthers decided to keep Ejiro Evero. Carolina has already filled the OLB coach role, hiring Los Angeles Rams assistant defensive line coach AC Carter.
As for Lukabu, it didn’t take long for him to find another job after being let go by Carolina
The #Jaguars continue to fill out their staff, as they are hiring Tem Lukabu as their new LBs coach, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 2, 2025
Lukabu brings seven years of NFL coaching experience, and he also served as BC’s defensive coordinator under Jeff Hafley. Most recently he was with the #Panthers.
Former Panthers Coach Tem Lukabu Hired by Jaguars
On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that former Panthers OLB coach Tem Lukabu was hired as the Jacksonville Jaguars' new linebackers coach. This is another big hire from new head coach Liam Coen, who previously served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator.
Coen has not wasted time putting his staff together, especially on the defensive side of the ball, hiring former Green Bay Packers LBs coach Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator.
This is a good opportunity for Lukabu, as the Jaguars have playmakers at the linebacker spot (Foyesade Oluokon, Devin Lloyd, and Ventrell Miller). For the 2024 season, Lukabu’s main focus with the Panthers was the outside linebackers (Jadeveon Clowney and DJ Wonnum).
Clowney was one of the Panthers' better defenders, tied for the team lead in sacks (5.5), with A’Shawn Robinson. Meanwhile, Wonnum, who missed some time due to injury, had four sacks, which was good for second.
Panthers fans likely won’t be hyper-focused on what Lukabu does in Jacksonville, especially since they will be watching to see what Carter does. But if Lukabu's unit plays well, maybe he pops up as a defensive coordinator option heading into the 2026 season.
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