Tag: Dom Capers

Panthers retain 13 assistant coaches, including entire defensive staff

Panthers DC Ejiro Evero will have his entire staff back for 2024.

The Carolina Panthers did more than just roll out the hirings of six new faces on Thursday. They also announced the returns of 13 familiar ones.

In addition to their additions, the team is retaining 13 assistant coaches—headlined by defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Evero will be joined back by his entire defensive staff.

The group is as follows:

  • Dom Capers (defensive assistant)
  • Todd Wash (defensive line coach)
  • Bert Watts (secondary/safeties coach)
  • Jonathan Cooley (secondary/cornerbacks coach)
  • Peter Hansen (inside linebackers coach)
  • Tem Lukabu (outside linebackers coach)
  • DeAngelo Hall (assistant defensive backs coach)
  • Mayur Chaudhari (defensive assistant)
  • Bobby Maffei (defensive quality control coach)

Carolina will also keep a few offensive minds in senior assistant Jim Caldwell and offensive assistant Mike Bercovici. Game management coordinator George Li will be staying on as well.

Along with Evero, the organization previously announced the hirings of their two new coordinators in Brad Idzik and Tracy Smith—who will lead the offense and special teams, respectively.

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Every HC in Carolina Panthers franchise history

Dave Canales is now the seventh full-time HC in Carolina Panthers history.

A new era of Carolina Panthers football is about to begin.

The team has officially hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales as their head coach, ending the second such search in as many seasons. He is now the seventh full-time head coach in franchise history and the 10th overall to assume the position.

Here, with the new guy included, is every head coach that has led the sidelines for the Panthers:

Biggest takeaways from Panthers coaching staff press conferences

The Panthers sent six coaches to the lectern this week, giving us plenty to chew on. But here are the biggest takeaways from their three days of press conferences.

The Carolina Panthers have assembled themselves a murderer’s row of coaches. And this week, it was time for some of them to speak.

Here are the biggest takeaways from this week’s string of press conferences.

Panthers assistant Dom Capers: I still coach because I enjoy it

Things came full circle for Panthers senior defensive assistant Dom Capers on Wednesday, who said he’s still in the game because he enjoys it.

Dom Capers’ very first words back at Bank of America Stadium couldn’t have been any more perfect.

“It’s like déjà vu up here,” he said during his introductory press conference.

Capers, the very first head coach in Carolina Panthers history, has officially returned as a senior defensive assistant for the franchise. He was welcomed back on Wednesday, and told reporters he couldn’t help but think about the old days when he arrived.

“A guy told me a long time ago that if you stay in a business long enough, you go full circle,” he said with a smile. “And as I was driving over here, when I arrived and looked up at the skyline, and I couldn’t think about how much changed back in 1995 when we started. But it’s great to be back. I have nothing but great memories of my time here.”

His first time here lasted from 1995 to 1998, the first four seasons of Carolina’s existence. The Panthers went 30-34 over that span, a run that was headlined by a trip to the NFC Championship game in 1996.

So, with over 50 years of coaching experience and plenty of success under his belt, why is the spry 72-year-old still at it? Well, because he can’t see himself doing anything else right now.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask me, ‘Why are you still doing this?’ I do it because I enjoy it,” he said. “I enjoy the competitiveness. The X and O part of the game. Still I don’t think there’s anything that matches Sunday afternoon for three hours.”

Capers also went on to give an idea of what his duties will be under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

“Well, I’ll have my hands full,” he said. “Scouting the opponent, the defense, the tendencies, those types of things. So that’ll be where a lot of my focus will be—looking at the upcoming opponent, presenting their tendencies and those types of things.”

It’s clear, that even at 72, Capers is ready to keep those hands busy.

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Panthers’ Dom Capers on DC Ejiro Evero: Guys will love playing for him

In a new interview with Joe Person of The Athletic, Panthers senior defensive assistant Dom Capers heaped great praise on Ejiro Evero.

In an offseason already full of reunions for the Carolina Panthers, new senior defensive assistant Dom Capers will make his on Wednesday—when he finally arrives back in Charlotte. But before his return, Joe Person of The Athletic was able to connect with the franchise’s first-ever head coach for a one-on-one interview this past weekend.

Person and Capers would, of course, touch on Carolina’s new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero—whom the 72-year-old spent the 2022 campaign under in Denver. And he believes Evero is going to be a hit for the Panthers.

“He’s very intelligent,” Capers said of Evero’s scheme. “He’s a good leader. He’s great with the players. I think the guys will love playing for him, and he does a great job of mixing rush and coverage.”

Capers, when asked which of those guys will really benefit from Evero, also shared some praise for defensive end (and perhaps future outside linebacker) Brian Burns.

“I’ve always been intrigued by Burns as an outside rusher,” he said. “This defense over the years, we’ve had great success with the outside people and a lot of production out of them. And the production he had last year speaks for itself.”

Burns, who was named a Pro Bowl starter for the second straight campaign, just posted career-highs in sacks (12.5) and quarterback hits (22). Capers also mentioned defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn, both of whom are coming off eye-opening seasons as well.

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Throwback photos of Dom Capers’ 1st tenure with Panthers

Come for the old Dom Capers photos, stay for the sick 90’s snapbacks.

On Friday night, the Carolina Panthers announced they’ve hired Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant. But this isn’t the 72-year-old’s first rodeo in Charlotte.

Let’s take a look back at Capers’ initial stint in Carolina, when he was the franchise’s first-ever head coach from 1995 to 1998.

 

Panthers fans react to hirings of Dom Capers, Josh McCown

The Panthers’ hirings of Dom Capers and Josh McCown have fans partying like it’s 1995 . . . and/or 2008.

The Carolina Panthers and head coach Frank Reich are piecing together one heck of a staff, and their fans are absolutely loving it.

Here are their latest (and greatest) reactions to Friday night’s exciting additions in senior defensive assistant Dom Capers and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.

Panthers bring back Dom Capers as senior defensive assistant

Dom Capers, the first head coach in Carolina Panthers history, has been brought back as a senior defensive assistant.

The Carolina Panthers are having quite a reunion here in 2023.

As first reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport and later announced by the team on Friday night, Dom Capers will be returning to the organization as a senior defensive assistant. The now 72-year-old was the first head coach in franchise history.

Capers led the Panthers through their first four seasons of existence—having amassed a 30-34 record from 1995 to 1998. That stretch was highlighted by a 12-4 campaign in 1996, where Capers was awarded AP Coach of the Year honors while guiding Carolina to the NFC Championship game.

This latest reunion comes courtesy of new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who is bringing Capers over from his Denver Broncos staff. Capers served under Evero in the very same senior defensive assistant role.

Capers is now the second staffer Evero has carried over from Denver to Charlotte, as the team hired Peter Hansen earlier this week.

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Panthers 2023 coaching staff tracker

As the Carolina Panthers’ new coaching staff continues to take shape, keep it right here for all the latest additions.

It’s an exciting time for the Carolina Panthers, who are embarking into a new era under a new leader. And with that new era has already come quite a few changes, some of which may be difficult to keep track of.

So, we’ll help you do exactly that.

Here, starting with the head coach himself, is what the Panthers’ 2023 coaching staff currently looks like.

Will Panthers bring back Dom Capers in 2023?

Could Dom Capers, the first-ever head coach in Panthers franchise history, join Ejiro Evero in Carolina?

The Carolina Panthers have already taken aim at two reunions this offseason—one successful and the other not. While they were able to hire their first starting quarterback in Frank Reich as their new head coach, they missed on bringing back their first-ever defensive coordinator Vic Fangio as their latest defensive coordinator.

So, will they take yet another swing for the past? According to Joe Person of The Athletic, they very well could.

With the team now having hired Ejiro Evero as their new defensive play caller, Person opined that Dom Capers—the first-ever head coach of the Panthers—could follow the 42-year-old over from the Denver Broncos. He writes:

On defense, keep an eye on Bobby Maffei, who worked with the secondary after Steve Wilks took over and coached in the Senior Bowl last week. The Panthers also could bring in Dom Capers, the first coach in team history, in a defensive consultant role. Capers has ties to both Evero and Reich, a quarterback on Capers’ first team.

Capers, now 72 years old, led the Panthers through their first four seasons—having amassed a 30-34 record from 1995 to 1998. That stretch was highlighted by a 12-4 campaign in 1996, where Capers was awarded AP Coach of the Year honors while guiding Carolina to the NFC Championship game.

With Evero turning down some intriguing opportunities elsewhere, it’s safe to say he’ll have a bit of pull in his new role—and he could help pull off another full-circle moment for the franchise this offseason.

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