CHARLOTTE – The Panthers continued adding to Frank Reich's new staff Friday, agreeing to terms with veteran coach and original Panthers head coach Dom Capers to return to Carolina as senior defensive assistant.
Capers, 72, has experience working alongside new Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, and has watched him grow from a quality control coach at Green Bay in 2016 to call the Broncos' defense in 2022. He also coached Reich when the two served as the first head coach and starting quarterback duo in Panthers' history during the franchise's inaugural season in 1995.
Here are five fast facts to know about Capers:
1. More than three decades of NFL coaching experience: Capers' 36 years of NFL coaching experience includes jobs with 11 teams – New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Carolina, Jacksonville, Houston, Miami, New England, Green Bay, Minnesota, Detroit, and Denver. He served as head coach for the Panthers (1995-98) and Texans (2002-05), in their first years as expansion teams both times, and was defensive coordinator for the Steelers (1992-94), Jaguars (1999-2000), Dolphins (2006-07), and Packers (2009-17). Since 2019, Capers has worked as a senior defensive assistant for Jacksonville (2019), Minnesota (2020), Detroit (2021), and Denver (2022).
2. Super Bowl winning coordinator: Capers has been part of one Super Bowl win when he directed the Packers' defense to a 31-25 victory over the Steelers for the 2010 season. Capers' defense included four Pro Bowl selections – Clay Matthews, Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins. His unit also ranked fifth in yards allowed and second in points allowed, sacks, and interceptions that season.
3. Original Panthers head coach: Capers was named the first head coach in Panthers' franchise history and led Carolina from its inaugural season in 1995 until 1998. He coached Reich when he started at quarterback in the first Panthers' game in history. Capers led the Panthers to a 7-9 record in their first season, a league-best mark for an expansion team in its first year. In his second year, Capers led Carolina to a 12-6 record and an NFC Championship game berth, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Packers. He won AP Coach of the Year for his efforts in 1996.
4. Coaching links: Capers' coaching tree includes two active NFL coaches. He employed Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio when he headed up the Panthers from 1995-98, and current Jets head coach Robert Saleh worked as a defensive intern for Capers when he led the Texans in 2005. Capers has worked for a more extensive list of coaches, including Dan Campbell, Tom Coughlin, Bill Cowher, and Mike McCarthy.
5. Producing Pro Bowlers: Capers has coached 28 players who reached the Pro Bowl a cumulative 46 times. This list includes Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins (1996), linebacker Sam Mills (1996), and kicker John Kasay (1996), as well as standouts from other stops, such as linebacker Clay Matthews (Green Bay, 2009-12 and 2014-15), defensive end Julius Peppers (Green Bay, 2015), and safety Charles Woodson (Green Bay, 2009-11).
