The team announced that assistant defensive backs coach Curtis Fuller has resigned from the Carolina Panthers coaching staff Wednesday; no reason was given for the resignation.
The 39 year old Fuller was elevated to defensive backs coach prior to the 2017 season when Steve Wilks was elevated from that spot to be defensive coordinator after Fuller spent 2016 as the assistant defensive backs/nickels coach; since joining the team, he has served as assistant special teams/nickels coach, defensive assistant/defensive backs coach and coaching assistant.
Fuller was brought to Carolina from the Tennessee Titans, where he served as the assistant secondary coach; he worked very closely with then-defensive backs coach Wilks before being promoted. Fuller has had coaching experience with the Cowboys, Packers and Raiders before coming to the Panthers by way of Tennessee; Fuller also played four seasons as a safety in the NFL, including six games in 2004 with the Panthers.
Head Coach Ron Rivera told the Charlotte Observer earlier that it was a “complicated situation” today during the Wells Fargo Championship Pro-Am today at Quail Hollow Golf Course; with Fuller leaving, this marks even more turnover for Rivera’s coaching staff, who will enter 2018 with a new offensive, defensive and special teams coordinator in addition to a new defensive and offensive line coach and linebackers coach.
Currently, the Panthers list Jeff Imamura and Richard Rodgers as assistant coaches for the defensive backs, for nickel and safety, respectively.
“After approaching Coach Fuller with the findings of an investigation into complaints of inappropriate conduct, we accepted his resignation,” team spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement via ESPN. “The Panthers are deeply committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and diverse work environment where all individuals, regardless of sex, race, color, religion, gender, or sexual identity or orientation, are treated fairly and equally.”
