Panthers hire Shawn Jefferson as next wide receivers coach

The Carolina Panthers have made another addition to their coaching staff. According to ESPN NFL insider Field Yates, the Panthers have hired Shawn Jefferson to be their new wide receivers coach.

Jefferson is a former NFL receiver in his own right, spending 13 seasons in the league. Over his 13 year career, he has played for a total of four teams in the New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, and San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers. He ended his NFL career with 470 receptions, 7023 yards, and 29 touchdowns and was even as named to the Patriots all-decade team.

Since hanging up his shoulder pads in 2003, Jefferson has spent 17 years on NFL sidelines as an assistant or a coach. His coaching journey started off with the last team he played for, Detroit, as an offensive assistant in 2006. From there, he has held various positions with the Lions along with coaching stops with the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and most recently, the Arizona Cardinals. In his last season in Arizona, Jefferson was for franchises associate head coach and wide receivers coach.

Altogether, the former pick by the Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) has a total of 30 years of experience in the NFL. Something that will definitely come in handy with the crop of receivers the Panthers currently have.

Panthers add two more defensive assistant coaches

The Carolina Panthers coaching staff continues to develop as two more hires have been announced. According to a recent report, the Panthers have brought on Bert Watts and Tem Lukabu. Watts will become newly hired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s new safeties coach. Lukabu will be his new outside linebackers coach.

Watts and Evero already have a working relationship. The two worked together last season, coaching the stout Broncos’ defense. Watts also has another tie to the Panthers. He is the uncle of Carolina tight end, Tommy Tremble.

Lukabu is fresh from the college ranks but has experience at the NFL level too. The former defensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently spent the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Boston College Golden Eagles. Prior to that, Lukabu worked as the linebackers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals and as a quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers, along with the stop as mentioned above with the Buccaneers.