Bank of America Stadium | Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium | Carolina Panthers
Every week, Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero takes a moment to acknowledge someone he believes deserves recognition. On Thursday, he highlighted A'Shawn Robinson, whom he respects greatly.
"Sometimes you're inspired by something that happens in the building, on the field," Evero said. "And sometimes as you just kind of reflect on things, there's a lot of people that do so much to help us get to where we are: players, coaches and especially, me personally and so I just think it's always important to acknowledge the people that support you and encourage you and allow you to do your job at the level you do it at."
Evero expressed his admiration for Robinson, stating: "A guy that I have so much respect for, A'Shawn Robinson, a player that I was with at the Rams. Fortunate enough that we were able to win a Super Bowl together there and have a lot of good years there."
Robinson joined the team as a free agent this spring. Known primarily as a run-defender, he has also excelled as a pass-rusher this season with 4.5 sacks and other notable achievements.
"Just such a stalwart for us," Evero continued. "He's been such a leader in the locker room...a lot of times the things that he's doing go unnoticed."
In addition to discussing Robinson's contributions, Evero addressed Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray's skills. He noted Murray's growth since their previous encounters when coaching against him with the Rams.
"In terms of Kyler...he's just grown and he's playing within the system at a much higher clip than he did when I was playing against him in Arizona," Evero commented.
Cornerback Mike Jackson also shared his experiences defending against Murray: "He's almost better out of pocket than he is in the pocket," Jackson remarked.
Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik discussed facing Cardinals safety Budda Baker: "Budda plays so much bigger than he is stature wise," Idzik said.
Additionally, special teams coordinator Tracy Smith explained why Johnny Hekker handled kickoffs last Sunday against Dallas. The decision aimed to present Dallas with an unexpected challenge.
"He's been practicing on the side for a few weeks," Smith stated. The strategy proved effective as Dallas' KaVontae Turpin was held below his average return yards.
As for future kickoff duties by Hekker remains undecided but offers strategic flexibility against certain return teams like Arizona's unit which ranks 10th overall in kickoff returns this season.