Ron Rivera Fires Brady Hoke, Jeff Imamura, Will Call Panthers' Defensive Plays

After four straight losses, the Carolina Panthers on Monday fired defensive line coach Brady Hoke and assistant secondary coach Jeff Imamura.

Head coach Ron Rivera will take over defensive play-calling duties from coordinator Eric Washington, who will focus on the front seven.

The Panthers began the year 6-2 but have allowed 31.5 points per game over the last four weeks.

Washington is in his first year as a coordinator after having served as the Panthers' defensive line coach for the past seven years.

"I have a bit of experience at play-calling and putting defenses together," Rivera said, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. "It's an opportunity for me to work even closer with him to help him out as we go forward. Y'all got to remember your first time doing something. You weren't perfect and somebody had to help you. That's really what I'm here for."

The defense ranks 14th in yards allowed per game but 21st in points allowed per game.

This was Hoke's first year in Carolina and the NFL. He is best known for his time at the college level and was the head coach at Michigan (2011-14), San Diego State (2009-10) and Ball State (2003-08) in addition to serving as Tennessee's interim coach in 2017.

The pressure is now on Rivera to turn things around, with the coach's inconsistency becoming a major concern. The team didn't have back-to-back winning seasons in any of his first seven years at the helm, and that could continue.

On the other hand, the defense was hardly at fault for Cam Newton's four interceptions in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.