Panthers hire Jim Caldwell as senior assistant, name Duce Staley RB coach, assistant HC
Panthers coach Frank Reich is adding another former NFL head coach to his staff.
On Tuesday, Carolina agreed to terms with Jim Caldwell to be a senior assistant. The team announced Caldwell will report directly to Reich while contributing on offense, defense and special teams.
Caldwell, 68, is considered one of Reich’s mentors. Caldwell was the Indianapolis Colts’ assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach under Tony Dungy when Reich began his coaching career as an intern in 2006.
Caldwell was one of nine candidates the Panthers interviewed for its vacant head coaching position last month. He is the second of those candidates to join Reich’s staff. The Panthers hired Ejiro Evero as defense coordinator earlier this month. He also interviewed for the top job in January.
Caldwell brings more than 15 years of NFL coaching experience to Carolina.
Caldwell won Super Bowl 41 with the Colts in 2006-07 before becoming the team’s head coach from 2009 to 2011. As a head coach for the Colts and Lions (2014-17), Caldwell amassed an 88-72 record, and reached the playoff four times, twice with each franchise.
The former Colts and Lions head coach has not been a full-time coach since 2019, when he served as the Dolphins’ assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
Caldwell joins a Panthers staff with decades of NFL coaching experience. Last week, Reich hired former Panthers head coach Don Capers as a senior defensive assistant. Reich already retained offensive line coach James Campen and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. Longtime NFL quarterback Josh McCown will coach quarterbacks.
Reich has yet to name an offensive coordinator, but that could change soon. On Thursday, the team is expected to have a second interview with Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/tight ends coach Thomas Brown for its offensive coordinator job. Brown is scheduled to fly into Charlotte on Thursday following an interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the same position.
Similar to how Capers is expected to guide the 42-year-old Evero, Caldwell should serve as an elder statesman to whomever the Panthers choose as offensive coordinator.
The Observer previously reported that former Eagles and Lions coach Duce Staley would join Reich’s staff. The Panthers announced on Tuesday that he will have the titles of assistant head coach and running backs coach.
This story was originally published February 14, 2023 at 2:34 PM.
