Panthers fire OC Joe Brady

The Carolina Panthers parted ways with offensive coordinator Joe Brady, the team announced Sunday.

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

Brady joined the Panthers in 2020 after one season at LSU. The 32-year-old generated interest from multiple teams looking for a head coach this past offseason. He had five head coaching interviews in January before agreeing to return to the Panthers.

Carolina's offense has struggled since Brady's arrival, averaging fewer than 22 points per game. The Panthers rank in the bottom 10 in scoring this season with only 19.7 points per contest.

The Panthers are using their third different starting quarterback this campaign in Cam Newton. Carolina began the season with Sam Darnold under center, but he struggled on the field before suffering a shoulder injury. P.J. Walker has also logged one start.

Brady wasn't able to utilize star running back Christian McCaffrey through most of his tenure in Carolina. McCaffrey has appeared in only 10 games since the start of last season.

Offensive assistant Jeff Nixon will replace Brady for the final five games of the year.

Coming off a bye, the 5-7 Panthers face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14.