At Carolina Panthers practice on Fridays, a regular competition unfolds among the team’s cornerbacks. The event, which has attracted attention on social media and within the defensive back room, involves one-on-one red zone drills. Passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley acts as quarterback while players such as Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson alternate between playing receiver and cornerback.
Jackson commented on the growing interest in these drills: “You’re the second person to ask me about that.” He described how players review footage of each repetition with close attention.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero acknowledged his concerns about injuries but recognized the value of the competitive environment. “I personally don’t really like to look at it,” said Evero. “I’m just always the worst-case scenario, like we shouldn’t be doing this on a Friday, we’re going too fast, so close to the game. But, I do respect the competitive nature of it.”
Horn detailed the atmosphere leading up to Friday practices: “Me and Mike, we trash-talk each other all day like we played a game together and trash-talk,” he said. “In meetings, we always just talking back and forth with each other, so when we’re able to do the Friday one-on-ones, it’s like icing on the cake; who gets the win that week.”
The drill does not use an official scoring system. Players track performance based on touchdowns, pass breakups or interceptions. Jackson described its informal nature: “I just like it because we’re just really talking s and we’re so competitive,” he said. “We use it really to warm up for practice, but at the same time, it’s fun competition. So every week on Friday, you already know what route you’re about to run.”
Cooley’s role extends beyond organizing; Horn praised his passing skills: “Yeah, Cooley’s got some dots now. He can throw some dots,” Horn said.
Safety Nick Scott noted that Cooley has carried this tradition from previous coaching stops: “Cooley, that’s been his tradition for a while,” Scott explained. “It used to be like all the corners, but I’ve been seeing him do that since Los Angeles, corners versus corners, just something fun they do to get in that competitive mindset and keep things light on a Friday.”
Some players use these sessions to try out offensive roles they never played in games. Horn likened himself to Rams receiver Davante Adams in these drills: “Releases, the most speed. Great hands,” he said.
Jackson recounted why he stayed away from playing receiver after witnessing a hard hit in high school: “My coach was like, ‘We’re going to want to get you the ball.’ I’m like, ‘I just witnessed this man get his helmet knocked off,’ … so after that I was like, ‘No, no… Better to be the hammer than the nail.'”
Other teammates sometimes join or express interest in participating when possible during special teams drills.
Rookie Jimmy Horn Jr., who sometimes steps into these matchups as a cornerback during special teams periods said: “Oh yeah, so right now I guess I’m undefeated,” adding later about his own abilities: “I give myself about a 10—in man coverage, a 10 out of 10; in zone coverage, 10 out of 10. Really, I’m just like that.”
Evero sees benefits beyond morale or entertainment value for these drills: “I think it just kind of speaks to the competitive nature of so many of the guys on our unit and on our team,” he said. “And I certainly think that it’s improving our… having an impact on our red zone play.”
Statistically this season compared with last year shows improvement for Carolina’s defense inside their own 20-yard line—the completion percentage allowed by Panthers’ corners in red zone situations dropped from 57 percent last season to 50 percent currently; after conceding 13 touchdowns last season through 13 games this year they have allowed only four.
“It’s cool to witness,” Evero added. “Because at the end of the day…the determining factor in so many of these deals is the ability to have that competitive nature about you. And so that’s cool to see come out.”
