Peter Hansen enters his second season as the Carolina Panthers inside linebackers coach, bringing 16 years of coaching experience to the staff. Previously, Hansen was the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos (2022), returning to the league after eight seasons in college.
Last season, Hansen helped guide sixth-year linebacker Frankie Luvu to a career-high and team-leading 125 tackles, while also receiving his first-career NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 8. Luvu became the only player in franchise history to record 125+ tackles, 5.5+ sacks and 10+ tackles for loss in a season.
In 2022, Hansen's linebacking corps contributed to one the NFL's top defenses as the Broncos ranked among the league leaders in a number of categories, including total defense (seventh – 320.0 yards per game), rushing defense (10th – 109.8), opponent third-down conversion percentage (second – 34.1%), opponent redzone touchdown rate (seventh – 51.1%) and defensive three-and-out percentage (fourth – 37.9). Linebackers Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell both established career highs in tackles and were one of three sets of teammates in the league to record at least 120 tackles and six tackles for loss that season. Singleton recorded 152 tackles, ranked ninth in the league, while Jewell notched 128 tackles and the first two interceptions of his career.
At the college level, Hansen has served as UNLV's defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach from (2020-21) and with Stanford University (2008-10, 2014-19). He worked as a strength & conditioning coach (2008), defensive assistant (2009-10) and inside linebackers coach (2014-19) for the Cardinal.
During his second stint with Stanford, the team accumulated a 52-27 regular-season record and amassed five eight-win seasons. Stanford went to a bowl game in each of Hansen's first five seasons, winning four of the five contests. Part of a defensive coaching staff that helped Stanford produce a top three Pac-12 scoring defense each year from 2014-17, the team also finished in the top three in yards per game in 2014 (first – 287.4) and 2015 (third – 374.5).
Two of Hansen's charges at Stanford, Blake Martinez (Green Bay, 2016) and Bobby Okereke (Indianapolis, 2019) were selected in the NFL Draft. Martinez, led the Pac-12 in tackles (141) in 2015, while Okereke led the school in tackles in consecutive seasons (2017-18).
With San Francisco, Hansen spent three seasons as a defensive assistant/quality control coach (2011-13), as the 49ers collected a 36-11-1 regular-season record and advanced to three consecutive NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance.
An assistant coach at Palo Alto (Calif.) High School for four seasons (2004-07) prior to his first stint at Stanford, Hansen worked primarily with the tight ends and defensive ends. After his first two seasons on staff, Hansen was promoted to defensive coordinator (2006-07).
A two-sport athlete at the University of Arizona, Hansen played both football and basketball and earned second-team All-Pac 10 honors (2000) as a special teams performer in football.
A Palo Alto, Calif. native, Hansen and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters, Georgia and Halle, and one son, Isaiah.
2008 | Stanford - Strength & Conditioning
2009-10 | Stanford - Defensive Assistant
2011-13 | San Francisco 49ers - Defensive Assistant/Quality Control
2014-19 | Stanford - Inside Linebackers
2020-21 | UNLV - Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
2022 | Denver Broncos - Linebackers
2023-pres | Carolina Panthers - Linebackers
