Panthers add Ryans and Mayo to their coach candidate list

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have requested permission to interview San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, according to a person familiar with the situation. That brings the number of known candidates for the team’s head coaching vacancy to 10.

The person spoke with The Associated Press Thursday under the condition of anonymity, as The Associated Press does not release information about its coaching search.

Already, the Panthers have interviewed Steve Wilks, the interim coach, was previously Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Frank Reich and Jim Caldwell, former Detroit Lions and Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell.

In addition, the Panthers have requested interviews with five current NFL offensive coordinators — Philadelphia’s Shane Steichen, Buffalo’s Ken Dorsey, Dallas’ Kellen Moore, Detroit’s Ben Johnson and the New York Giants’ Mike Kafka, a person familiar with the situation previously told the AP.

Ryans led the NFL’s highest-ranked defense with the 49ers giving up a league-best 30.6 yards and 16.3 point per game. Ryans was an All-Pro linebacker in 2007. He has been with the 49ers for six seasons, the last two as the defensive coordinator.

Matthew Judon is Mayo’s linebacker coach. He has 28 sacks in the league’s eight-ranked defense over the past two seasons.

The Panthers were 7-10 in this season’s final game and missed the playoffs in five of their previous seasons.

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