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COACHING STAFF / DOM CAPERSDOM CAPERSDEFENSIVE COORDINATOR25th NFL SeasonSecond Packers SeasonVETERANS COACHES COMMUNITYLAMBEAU RECORDS &DRAFT &MISC. FIELD HISTORY 2009 REVIEW FREE AGENTSEntering his 25th season in theNFL, Dom Capers enters his secondyear with the Packers in 2010 asthe club’s defensive coordinator.Named to his position on Jan. 19, 2009, by Head CoachMike McCarthy, Capers is one of the most experiencedcoaches in the league, spending time with seven differentfranchises before coming to Green Bay.In his first season running the defense in ’09, Capers ledone of the biggest statistical turnarounds in franchise historyas the Packers improved to a No. 2 overall defensiveranking and No. 1 ranking against the run after finishingNo. 20 and No. 26 in those respective categories in 2008.Guiding the defense as it transitioned to the 3-4scheme, Capers helped the Packers lead the NFL in rushingdefense for the first time in franchise history, and theaverage of 83.3 rushing yards per game set a team recordfor any season.The Packers defense led the league with 40 takeaways andalso led the NFL with 30 interceptions, the first time Green Bayled the league in INTs since 1965. The Packers also posted141 points off of takeaways, tied for the No. 1 ranking in theleague with the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.Under Capers’ tutelage, veteran CB Charles Woodsonposted perhaps his finest all-around season as he wasnamed NFL Defensive Player of the Year by The AssociatedPress and was selected to virtually every All-Pro team. Itwas the third time in Capers’ career as a defensive coordinatorthat one of his players earned the top defensivehonor from AP, as Woodson joined Miami DE Jason Taylor(2006) and Pittsburgh CB Rod Woodson (1993).Capers was honored with an award of his own in ‘09 ashe was named “Coordinator of the Year” by Sporting Newsin a vote conducted by 53 current NFL head coaches andleague executives.Capers joined the Packers after one season with the NewEngland Patriots as special assistant – secondary. Prior tothat, Capers had defensive coordinator responsibilities fortwo seasons with the Miami Dolphins, holding the titles ofspecial assistant to the head coach (2006) and defensivecoordinator (2007). After inheriting a defense that had allowed317 total yards per game (No. 18) in 2005, Capersmade an immediate impact as Miami finished fourth inoverall defense in ’06.Capers served as the head coach of the expansionHouston Texans for the first five seasons of the franchise’shistory. He was hired in January 2001, more than a yearbefore Houston’s inaugural season in 2002.From 1999-2000, Capers was the defensive coordinatorin Jacksonville, where under his guidance the Jaguarsimproved from 25th in the NFL in total defense in 1998 tofourth in 1999. Jacksonville also allowed the fewest points(217) in the NFL in ’99, and Capers was named NFL AssistantCoach of the Year by Pro Football Weekly/PFWAand USA Today.Capers served as a head coach for the first time in hiscareer from 1995-98 with the expansion Carolina Panthers,guiding that team from its origin to the NFC title game injust two seasons. In 1996, Carolina won its last sevengames en route to a 12-4 record and the NFC West title.The Panthers defeated the defending Super Bowl championDallas Cowboys in the divisional playoffs before falling tothe Packers at Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship.Capers was honored with all of the major Coach of the Yearawards in ’96, including The Associated Press’ honor.Prior to taking over in Carolina, Capers served as adefensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers from34Dom Capers at a glance…►►Joined Packers Jan. 19, 2009.►►Named “Coordinator of the Year” by Sporting News in 2009 afterhe helped lead the Packers to a No. 2 overall defensive ranking.►►Has nine years of experience as a head coach in the NFL,serving as the first head coach for two expansion franchises(Carolina, 1995-98; Houston, 2001-05).►►Also served as a defensive coordinator for three other teams,first with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-94) as well as theJacksonville Jaguars (1999-2000) and Miami Dolphins (2006-07).►►Won every major Coach of the Year award in 1996 with thePanthers, and also earned the Pro Football Weekly/PFWAAssistant Coach of the Year award in 1994 with Pittsburghand 1999 with Jacksonville.►►Began his coaching career by spending 12 seasons at thecollegiate level.►►Played safety and linebacker at Mount Union College in Ohio.COACHING BACKGROUNDYears College/Pro Team Position Coached1972-74 Kent State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Graduate Assistant1975-76 Univ. of Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs1977 San Jose State ................ Defensive Backs1978-79 Univ. of California . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs1980-81 Univ. of Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs1982-83 Ohio State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs1984-85 Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars (USFL) . Defensive Backs1986-91 New Orleans Saints ............ Defensive Backs1992-94 Pittsburgh Steelers . . . . . . . . Defensive Coordinator1995-98 Carolina Panthers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Head Coach1999-2000 Jacksonville Jaguars . . . . . . . Defensive Coordinator2001-05 Houston Texans ...................Head Coach2006 Miami Dolphins. Special Asst. to Head Coach/Def. Coord.2007 Miami Dolphins ...........Defensive Coordinator2008 New England Patriots . . . . Special Asst./Secondary2009-10 Green Bay Packers. . . . . . . . . Defensive Coordinator1992-94, the first time in his coaching career that he rana defense. His unit ranked third in the NFL in total defensein ’93, second in ’94, and the Steelers won the AFC Centralin 1992 and 1994.Capers’ first NFL coaching stop came with the New OrleansSaints, where he served as the defensive backs coachfor six seasons (1986-91). He helped the Saints earn theirfirst three playoff berths in franchise history, and he workedunder head coach Jim Mora, whose staff he coached onwith the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL from1984-85 as the Stars won the league title both seasons.Capers began his coaching career by spending 12 seasonsat the collegiate level, beginning with a three-yearstint as a graduate assistant at Kent State (1972-74). Hewent on to coach defensive backs at Hawaii (1975-76),San Jose State (1977), California (1978-79), Tennessee(1980-81) and Ohio State (1982-83).Capers played safety and linebacker for Mount UnionCollege in Alliance, Ohio, from 1968-71, and graduatedwith a degree in physical education and a minor in psychology.He also earned his master’s degree in administrationfrom Kent State.Capers grew up in Buffalo, Ohio, where he was a starathlete at Meadowbrook High School. He still hosts an annualcharity golf tournament in the area to raise money forthe Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center’s cardiacrehab unit, and for a college scholarship in the name ofDale Dixon, Capers’ former high school football coach whodied of a heart attack.Born Aug. 7, 1950, in Cambridge, Ohio, Capers and hiswife, Karen, live in Green Bay.