Panthers fire offensive coordinator Joe Brady during Week 13 bye

Joe Brady is out as the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator, the team announced Sunday afternoon. Senior offensive assistant Jeff Nixon will take over coordinator duties for the remainder of the year.

"I met with Joe this morning and informed him that I have decided to make a change," Panthers coach Matt Rhule said in a release. "I'm very grateful to him for his time and effort in helping us get established over this past year and a half."

Brady, 32, was one of the first hires Rhule made after he became the Panthers' coach in January 2020. Brady emerged as a college football coaching star in 2019 when he was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach of the LSU Tigers. The team went undefeated and won the national championship with quarterback Joe Burrow earning Heisman Trophy honors. Brady won the Broyles Award, recognizing the nation's top assistant coach.

That offensive success didn't follow Brady to Carolina, though. The team was 24th in points scored in the 2020 season and is now 23rd in 2021. The Panthers traded for quarterback Sam Darnold in the offseason, but the former New York Jets starter had seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions in nine starts before heading to injured reserve.

The Panthers have turned to their former MVP quarterback Cam Newton to lead the way, but after moderate success in his first start, Newton completed just five of his 21 passes in Week 12 with two interceptions and no touchdowns.

After a Week 13 bye, the Panthers will play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14.