CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Panthers fans, Dom Capers is coming back. And this time, the coach will be working with one of his first quarterbacks in a different role.
The team announced its first-ever head coach is returning to Charlotte, 28 years after he was first chosen to lead the expansion franchise. This time, Capers will be on as a senior defensive assistant, the same role he held last year with the Denver Broncos.
When Capers was in charge of the Panthers, they were able to make a comeback after losing its first five games. Carolina was able to win seven of the last 11 games of the season and springboarded to the NFC West title the following year.
Capers was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 1996 for leading the team to a 12-4 record and the NFC Championship Game in the team's sophomore season. Beyond his time with the Panthers, he also led the Houston Texans and has held a long track record as an assistant in the league.
He was able to earn a Super Bowl ring as a defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers and has spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Including his time with the Philadelphia Stars in the United States Football League, the 72-year-old Capers has racked up 27 years of experience in professional football.
If throwbacks seem to be a theme for the Panthers now, you're not entirely wrong; the team hired its first quarterback, Frank Reich, as its new head coach last month. Another deja vu moment is happening for new quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, who was a backup quarterback himself for the Panthers in 2008 and 2009. The 43-year-old McCown most recently helped coach at Myers Park High School in Charlotte after a 16-year run in the NFL, and was sought after as an assistant coach and even interviewed for the Texans' head coach position.
Another addition to the coaching staff is Peter Hansen as linebackers coach. Hansen and Capers both make a move from Denver to the Queen City after the Panthers brought on Ejiro Evero as the new defensive coordinator.
