While the Carolina Panthers requested permission to interview Texans passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton for their offensive coordinator vacancy, the former Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts isn't expected to meet with the NFC South franchise at this time, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
Hamilton, 47, is expected to have other options this offseason after doing a good job working with Texans rookie quarterback Davis Mills, including potentially remaining with the AFC South franchise depending on how they fill their head coaching vacancy.
The Panthers have also interviewed former Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly along with Luke Getsy, Klint Kubiak, Ben McAdoo, Scottie Montgomery and Jay Gruden.
Hamilton's work with Mills hasn't gone unnoticed along with his background as the Los Angeles Chargers' former quarterbacks coach.
While Mills went 2-9 in 11 starts as the replacement for veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor, the strong-armed third-round draft pick from Stanford had his moments. He completed 66.8 percent of his throws for a franchise rookie record 2,664 yards to pass former top overall pick David Carr for 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a respectable 88.8 passer rating.
When Mills was a blue-chip recruit in Atlanta passing for 6,290 yards and 66 touchdowns as the top-ranked quarterback in 2017, Hamilton evaluated him along with Stanford coach David Shaw.
“I had the opportunity to evaluate Davis way back when he was in high school,” Hamilton said in the final weeks of the season. “Good friend of mine, David Shaw, we often talked about the kid that was coming out of Georgia, right? Lo and behold, I had a chance to follow his career during his time at Stanford as well. He shows tremendous promise. He’s working hard just like the rest of our guys. We’ll see where the skillset will take him.”
Hamilton, a former quarterback at Howard, collaborated extremely well with strong-armed Chargers Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert passed for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie two seasons ago.
A former head coach and general manager of the DC Defenders in the XFL, Hamilton coached retired Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as their offensive coordinator along with being the Cleveland Browns' associate head coach and quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets, Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers' quarterbacks and has worked at Stanford as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and at the University of Michigan as an assistant head coach and passing game coordinator.
Hamilton began his coaching career at Howard as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
Hamilton played quarterback at Howard University before becoming the school's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
Perhaps Hamilton will coach Mills again in 2022.
“I think it helps a ton just the familiarity with really the fundamentals that are necessary to play from under center,” Hamilton said. “I do think that the things that he was introduced to at Stanford and the skillset that he developed is going to help him to have a better chance to play winning football in the National Football League.”