Bernie Parmalee enters his third season with Carolina as the team's running backs coach. Parmalee, a nine-year NFL veteran as a running back (1992-2000), has 18 years of coaching experience in the league, coaching a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last four seasons – Rico Dowdle (2025 - 1,076), Chuba Hubbard (2024 - 1,195) and Travis Etienne Jr. (2023 - 1,008; 2022 - 1,125).
With the Panthers in 2025, Parmalee coached Dowdle to single-season bests with 236 carries and six touchdowns. His 1,076 rushing yards ranked 14th in the NFL, marking his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. Dowdle produced 20 explosive runs (12+ yards), tied for the ninth most in the league. In total, Dowdle racked up a career-high 1,373 scrimmage yards, including 1,270 from Weeks 5-18, good for the ninth-best mark in the NFL. He also coached Hubbard to a fourth-consecutive season with over 700 scrimmage yards (734), contributing 511 on the ground and 223 receiving. Hubbard also scored two rushing touchdowns in the team's postseason contest, one of just 17 players since 2000 with multiple rushing touchdowns in their playoff debut.
In his first season in Carolina (2024), Parmalee guided Hubbard to a career-year. Despite missing the final two games of the season, Hubbard became the Panthers first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019 (Christian McCaffrey - 1,387), finishing eighth in the NFL and sixth in the NFC in rushing yards (1,195). He also set career highs in carries (250), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns (10), catches (43) and scrimmage yards (1,366), and was named a Pro Bowl alternate for his efforts.
With Jacksonville (2021-23), Parmalee helped Etienne Jr. gain over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,400 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. The Clemson product ranked fifth in the league in rushing yards (2,133), tied for 11th in rushing touchdowns (16) and tied for ninth with 105 rushing first downs over his first two seasons (2022-23).
Over his three seasons in Atlanta (2018-20), Parmalee spent time coaching running backs (2018-20) and special teams (2019-20), including as the interim special teams coordinator during the 2020 season. That season, kicker Younghoe Koo earned Pro Bowl honors, converting 37-of-39 field goal attempts.
During Parmalee's three seasons with the Raiders (2015-17), the team averaged 4.2 yards per carry and tallied 4,933 rushing yards with 37 touchdowns. In 2015, running back Latavius Murray surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, as both he and fullback Marcel Reese earned Pro Bowl selections. The next season (2016), the rushing offense finished sixth in the league, averaging 120.1 yards per game and scored 17 touchdowns.
After he began his coaching career with the Miami Dolphins (2002-04), Parmalee spent five seasons at Notre Dame (2005-09) and three with Kansas City (2010-12) as tight ends coach. In 2010, Tony Moeaki set the franchise mark in receptions by a rookie tight end.
Parmalee entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and played running back for nine seasons with the Dolphins (1992-98) and New York Jets (1999-2000). In 134 games (26 starts), he recorded 567 rushes for 2,179 yards and 17 touchdowns. Finishing his collegiate career as the leading rusher in Ball State history, he tallied 3,483 yards and 26 touchdowns. He attended high school at Lincoln High School in Jersey City, N.J., and earned varsity letters in football and baseball.
Parmalee and his wife, Angela, have three children – Nakia Marie, Tré and Torian.
- 1987-91 | Ball State
- 1992-98 | Miami Dolphins
- 1999-2000 | New York Jets
- 2002 | Miami Dolphins - Assistant Special Teams
- 2003 | Miami Dolphins - Assistant Special Teams/Offensive Assistant (RBs)
- 2004 | Miami Dolphins - Running Backs/Tight Ends
- 2005-06 | Notre Dame - Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
- 2007-09 | Notre Dame - Tight Ends
- 2010-12 | Kansas City Chiefs - Tight Ends
- 2014 | Kansas - Quality Control Offense/Assistant Running Backs
- 2015-17 | Oakland Raiders - Running Backs
- 2018 | Atlanta Falcons - Running Backs
- 2019 | Atlanta Falcons - Assistant Special Teams/Offensive Assistant
- 2020 | Atlanta Falcons - Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator
- 2021-23 | Jacksonville Jaguars - Running Backs
- 2024-Pres. | Carolina Panthers - Running Backs
