The Carolina Panthers promoted Eric Washington, the team’s former defensive line coach, as their new de- fensive coordinator on Mon- day. Washington will enter
his eighth season with the Panthers. The decision to promote Washington came after Steve Wilks left the team for the Arizona Cardi- nals’ head coaching job.
NFL-best 280 total sacks. In five of the past six seasons, the team has finished in the top 10 in sacks, was the league’s top-ranked unit in 2013 and this season ranked seventh overall defensively (371.1 yards per game).
of the most productive de- fensive lines in the league since his arrival. There hasn’t been a group of de- fensive linemen who have produced more sacks than Carolina’s 219.0 since 2012.
the defensive line coach with the Chicago Bears, where his unit ranked second in rushing defense, fourth in scoring defense and ninth in total defense.
head coach Eddie Robin- son, and earned a Bachelor of Science from Grambling in 1993. In 1998, Washing- ton was commissioned as a Naval Reserve Officer and served as the defensive coor- dinator of the football team for three years.
Under Washington’s tute- lage, the Panthers defensive linemen have produced an
Washington oversaw one
Before joining Carolina, Williams spent two years as
Washington played tight end at Grambling State from 1989-90, under legendary