Ex-Panthers DC Sean Mcdermott Thankfully Declines Division Rival

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Preston Palm | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Former Carolina Panthers DC Sean McDermott has been one of the more controversial topics in the NFL since his firing from the head coaching job in Buffalo.

McDermott experienced a lot of success there. In nine seasons with the Bills, he posted a record of 98-50 and missed the NFL Playoffs only once as head coach.

Before his time with the Bills, McDermott spent time as a defensive coordinator for both the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles.

McDermott was a crucial part of the Panthers' success in the 2010s; he spent six seasons in Carolina and helped head coach Ron Rivera build an elite defense, the same defense that helped Carolina reach Super Bowl 50.

After McDermott was let go, he immediately became one of the top coaching candidates across the NFL, but even amid public demand, McDermott seems to be heading toward sitting out the 2026 season, as reported by Greg Auman.

Sean McDermott expected to take a year off, regroup, and revisit his future in 2027 per @gregauman pic.twitter.com/Cd1nV8UIVR
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) January 28, 2026

The division rival Buccaneers approached McDermott about a coaching role in some capacity. There's one problem, though: it wouldn’t be for the defensive coordinator job.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles calls the defense for Tampa Bay, and realistically, if McDermott isn’t getting a head-coaching or DC job, it doesn’t make sense for him to take a role.

Bucs talked to ex-Bills coach Sean McDermott to check about joining Todd Bowles' staff, but he's expected to take this year off and re-assess his options in 2027. McDermott overlapped with Jason Licht with Eagles 2003-07 and interviewed for Bucs' HC job in 2016.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 28, 2026

The Buccaneers’ defense was ranked around 19th in the league in yards allowed. The pass defense was what made them vulnerable; the Bucs were among the worst in the NFL in 2025, ranking 27th in opponent pass yards per game. If anything, McDermott not taking a job in Tampa is a break for Carolina and the rest of the division.

This is relevant for Carolina because the Panthers' current defensive coordinator, Eljiro Evero, was a strong head-coach candidate in this offseason’s coaching cycle, primarily pursued by the Las Vegas Raiders.

That was until head coach Dave Canales announced that Evero signed an extension, keeping him for the 2026 NFL season.

The last thing the Panthers need is for the Buccaneers’ defense to improve. Until this past season, the Bucs ruled over the division for three years in a row, and even in what was a down year for them offensively, they beat the Panthers in the final game of the regular season and left Carolina’s playoff chances up to the Atlanta Falcons.

With McDermott declining Tampa, and Evero staying in Carolina, the Panthers are a productive offseason away from improving even further and keeping the division title in Charlotte.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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