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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Pittsburgh Steelers have requested to interview Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to potentially replace Mike Tomlin.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continued to place requests Thursday to interview head coaching candidates to replace Mike Tomlin. Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is the latest to be officially up for the job.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday the Steelers requested to speak with Evero. The 45-year-old has four years of defensive coordinator experience.
“The Steelers have requested to speak with Panthers DC Ejiro Evero for their open head coaching job,” Rapoport wrote on X. “Another strong defensive voice.”
The Panthers improved significantly on defense during Evero’s third season with the team. His unit finished 16th in yards allowed and 15th in points yielded during the 2025 season.
Carolina went 8-9 but won the NFC South for the first time in a decade.
The Steelers are the third team to request an interview with Evero. The Panthers defensive coordinator is also a candidate for the head coach opening with the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders.
Pittsburgh’s search for a new head coach began in earnest Wednesday. Tomlin stepped down from his role after 19 years with the Steelers on Tuesday.
The Steelers’ 2025 campaign ended with a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night.
Steelers Request Interview With Panthers DC Ejiro Evero: Report
Evero has nearly two decades of NFL coaching experience. He began his career as a high school assistant at 23 years old in 2004. After two years as an assistant at UC Davis in FCS football, Evero made the jump to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Over 18 seasons in the league, he’s been an assistant with the Panthers, Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos.
With all of those stops, Evero could have connections to many other quality coaches. That’s something the Steelers are likely looking for in their next head coach, especially if they hire a defensive mind.
That defensive mind needs to bring along a bright, young play-caller to run the offense to help the Steelers score more points.
Most notably, Evero coached under Sean McVay with the Rams from 2017-21. Evero coaches safeties in Los Angeles from 2017-20 and then served as the Rams defensive passing game coordinator in 2021.
Evero took his first defensive coordinator job with the Broncos in 2022. Under Evero, the Broncos finished seventh in yards allowed and 14th in points. But the Broncos fired head coach Nathan Hackett in favor of Sean Payton following 2022, which led to Evero’s exit in Denver.
Evero immediately landed another defensive coordinator job with the Panthers.
Steelers Have Placed 7 Interview Requests to Replace Mike Tomlin
Team president Art Rooney II told reporters Wednesday the organization would consider coaches with offensive and defensive backgrounds to replace Tomlin.
That is likely to still be the case. But in the first 24 hours of the search, it’s clear the Steelers have a type.
Of the seven interview requests the Steelers have made for head coach candidates, six of them are defensive assistants.
In addition to Evero, those six are Rams’ Chris Shula, Minnesota Vikings’ Brian Flores, Los Angeles Chargers‘ Jesse Minter, Miami Dolphins‘ Anthony Weaver and Packers’ Jeff Hafley.
The Packers defensive coordinator is the latest one to receive an interview from the Steelers. Rapoport reported Thursday the Steelers made that request.
In the early going, the lone coach with an offensive background who is a candidate to be the next Steelers head coach is Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.
Pittsburgh is going through its first head coaching search since 2007. The Steelers have hired just three head coaches since 1969.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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