New Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera has started to fill his staff, adding an offensive coordinator and reportedly a defensive coordinator Monday.
NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi cited a league source in confirming that the Panthers have hired Sean McDermott as defensive coordinator, two days after he was fired by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Panthers spokesman Charlie Dayton said he couldn't confirm the move, but the team did announce that defensive coordinator Ron Meeks accepted a demotion to secondary coach.
Rob Chudzinski was hired as offensive coordinator, *The Herald* in Rock Hill, S.C., reported, citing two team sources.
Chudzinski, a former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator, spent last season as the tight ends/assistant head coach in San Diego, where he worked with Rivera.
Chudzinski also was in the running for offensive coordinator jobs in Miami and San Francisco.
The Panthers didn't announce Chudzinski's hiring, but they did reveal that they had brought aboard former Minnesota Vikings assistant Brian Murphy as their special teams coordinator. Also, Sam Mills III will return as assistant defensive line and quality control coach.
Murphy spent the last three seasons as the special teams coordinator in Minnesota, but he wasn't given any assurances by new Vikings coach Leslie Frazier when the season ended.
"Everything turned out right in the end," Murphy told the *St. Paul Pioneer Press* on Monday. "Everything worked out all right. It's been a great five years, and I appreciate everything from the Wilfs and Brad (Childress) and Leslie (Frazier) allowed me to do here."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
