What elements played a leading role in the demise of Joe Brady after the Carolina Panthers fired the offensive coordinator on Sunday?
If anyone associated with the Carolina Panthers was hoping for a peaceful bye week Sunday, they were sorely mistaken. The team announced that offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been relieved of his duties – ending an 18-month spell with the organization that even saw him gain head coaching interest earlier this year.
This has been an astonishing fall from grace for Brady. It was a huge opportunity awaiting the progressive offensive mind after his successful stint as LSU‘s passing game coordinator, where the likes of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Justin Jefferson spearheaded their national championship triumph in 2019.
The early signs were positive. Brady certainly looked the part despite some suspect quarterback play and not having Christian McCaffrey for anything more than three games.
This led to interviews with the Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles. Although he didn’t end up with a concrete offer.
However, there’s been some clear regression on offense in 2021, and Brady’s now looking for work rather than taking interviews for potential promotions.
There is an element to Brady being a scapegoat in all this. Although that’s not to say production should have been better with the talent available to the coach.
Matt Rhule’s statement was short, with the team also confirming that Jeff Mixon – another Baylor loyalist – will now assume command of the play-calling duties and presumably do exactly what the head coach wants.
"“I met with Joe this morning and informed him that I have decided to make a change. I’m very grateful to him for his time and effort in helping us get established over this past year and a half.”"
Without further ado, here are three critical factors that played a leading role in Brady’s eventual demise in Carolina.