The Carolina Panthers haven't wasted any time shaking up head coach Dave Canales' staff this offseason. Former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill has been brought into the fold while AC Carter was named the new outside linebackers coach last week.
Although Canales' 2025 staff is already looking different compared to last season, the Panthers aren't finished making changes just yet.
Panthers Hired Kevin Peterson as Defensive Assistant
On Wednesday, The Charlotte Observer's Mike Kaye reported that the Panthers have hired Kevin Peterson as a defensive assistant. The former defensive back previously played 36 regular-season games across four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.
The #Panthers are hiring former #Rams and #Cardinals DB Kevin Peterson as a defensive assistant, per league sources.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) February 5, 2025
Peterson spent last year coaching at Colorado State University Pueblo after taking part in fellowship programs with the Rams and Cardinals.
Peterson, 30, was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL draft. The former Oklahoma State ballhawk was waived before his rookie campaign even started before ultimately joining the Rams for the following season.
Moving to L.A. worked in his favor as Peterson went on to record seven solo tackles, six defended passes, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery in six games with the Rams. Unfortunately, he didn't get a proper chance to build off that performance, having been forced to miss the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL.
The Rams eventually waived Peterson the following offseason, leading to his three-year run with the Cardinals. The Muskogee, OK native was put in more of a special teams role with each passing year, culminating in his 2023 retirement announcement. Since retiring, he's coached at Colorado State University and took part in the NFL's fellowship program, per Kaye.
It'll be interesting to see if any of Peterson's NFL experience helps improve Carolina's secondary. The Panthers were one of the worst teams at defending the pass last season, finishing with a 50.7 coverage grade (28th) on Pro Football Focus.
It won't take Panthers fans long to learn about what Peterson's role as a defensive assistant entails. Returning NFL head coaches — like Canales — can officially begin their offseason workouts on Monday, Apr. 21.