Panthers Hire Long-Time NFL Coach; Former Lions & Colts Head Coach


Joining the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers have hired former Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell as a senior assistant coach.

Caldwell will join Frank Reich's staff as the Panthers look to rebuild next season and beyond.

The 68-year-old interviewed for the Panthers' head coaching job last month. He also coached with Reich in Indianapolis in the early 2000s. 

Caldwell has plenty of experience coaching on the offensive side, so he should be able to help Reich revive a Panthers offense that has really struggled in recent years.

He could also have a big role in helping develop a young QB for the Panthers if the team does opt to draft one in the upcoming draft. 

While with the Colts, he served as the quarterbacks coach and then as the head coach from 2009 to 2011, leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2009, so he has experience coaching QBs.

Caldwell began coaching in the NFL as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent several years before moving on to coaching positions with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens. He then went on to become the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017. During his time with the Lions, he led the team to two playoff appearances. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports