Article:Capers to be Packers' Defensive Coordinator

The Green Bay Packers have hired former head coach Dominic “Dom” Capers to be their new Defensive Coordinator. Packer Head Coach Mike McCarthy now has the veteran coach that he felt he needed to turn his defense around form a very poor showing in 2008.

McCarthy beat most teams to the punch with Capers. Many people in and around the NFL thought that Capers was headed to New York to rejoin his old boss, Tom Coughlin and take the Defensive Coordinator position vacated by Steve Spagnuolo when he became the Head Coach of the St. Louis Rams.

Before hiring Capers, McCarthy and the Packers interviewed former San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan, former Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams and former St. Louis Rams Defensive Coordinator and Interim Coach Jim Haslett. Nolan took the Defensive Coordinator job with the  Denver Broncos while Williams assumed the same position with the New Orleans Saints making McCarthy’s first two options unavailable. Haslett is still available.

Capers started his professional football coaching career in the now defunct USFL. After moving over to the National Football League with the New Orleans Saints, he became the Defensive Coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992. He was instrumental in that team’s appearance in the 1994 AFC title game (sorry to mention that game, Steeler fans). The Pittsburgh team that he helped to build with Bill Cowher did eventually go on to win a Super Bowl.

In 1995, Capers became the Head Coach of the NFC expansion Carolina Panthers. He led that team to the NFC title game after the 1996 season. Ironically, a game in which they lost to the Green Bay Packers 30-13.

After being fired by the Panthers after a 4-12 season in 1998, Capers became the Defensive Coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He remained at the position until becoming the Head Coach of the AFC expansion Houston Texans.

After being fired by the Texans after a dismal 2-14 record in 2005, Capers became the Defensive Coordinator/Asst Head Coach for the Miami Dolphins.

In 2008, Miami purged their coaching staff and Capers found a job with the New England Patriots as their Secondary Coach. It is said that there was friction between Capers and New England Head Coach/Demi-god Bill Belichick.

Never known for his offensive prowess, TV announcers have been able to predict his offensive calls, Capers is known for his abilities as a defensive coach. In three seasons in Pittsburgh, his defense ranked 13 th, 3 rd, and 2 nd. In Carolina, they ranked 10 th, 15 th and 30 th. In Jacksonville, they ranked 4 th and 12 th and in Miami they ranked 4 th and 23 rd.

Capers started his defensive career in the 3-4 system. The same system that has seen much success in recent years with teams such as Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Green Bay has been running the 4-3 defense since time immemorial and they do not have the personnel to run a 3-4 defense. Luckily for them, Capers is a smart defensive mind and ran a hybrid 3-4/4-3 when he coached with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Sources:  www.jsonline.com, www.pro-football-reference.com , www.wikipedia.com