Peter Hansen was hired as linebackers coach in 2023 after holding the same role with the Broncos in 2022. He was defensive coordinator for UNLV from 2020-21 and spent six seasons (2014-19) at Stanford prior to that with a quality control role with the 49ers from 2011-13.

Peter Hansen joined the Carolina Panthers in 2023 as inside linebackers coach, bringing 14 years of coaching experience, including four in the NFL, to the staff. He most recently served as the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos in 2022.

Last season, 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).

Under Hansen's guidance 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 in 2022. Singleton recorded 152 tackles, which ranked ninth in the league, fifth in the AFC and was the third-highest total by a Bronco in a single season. Singleton recorded a career-high and single-game team record 21 tackles in Week Six vs. the Los Angeles Chargers. Jewell notched 128 tackles and recorded the first two interceptions of his career when he picked off quarterback Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes twice in Week 14. It marked the first time a Broncos linebacker recorded multiple interceptions in the same game in 2022 years (Al Wilson vs. the St. Louis Rams, Sept. 4, 2000).

Before spending 2022 with the Broncos, Hansen served UNLV's defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach from 2020-21.

In addition to his time at UNLV, Hansen has spent time at Stanford University (2008-10, 2014-19) and with the San Francisco 49ers (2011-13). He worked as a strength and conditioning coach (2008), defensive assistant (2009-10) and inside linebackers coach (2014-19) for the Cardinal and was a defensive assistant for the 49ers during his three-years on staff.

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.

Hansen was 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 '15 (third – 374.5).

In Hansen's six seasons as inside linebackers coach at Stanford, Blake Martinez (Green Bay, 2016) and Bobby Okereke (Indianapolis, 2019) were selected in the NFL Draft. Martinez, who led the Pac-12 in tackles (141) in 2015, was selected by Green Bay in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft while Okereke was chosen in the third round (89th overall) of the 2019 draft after leading Stanford in tackles in consecutive seasons (2017-18).

Preceding his time at Stanford, Hansen spent three seasons as a defensive assistant/quality control coach with San Francisco from 2011-13. In that span, the 49ers collected a 36-11-1 regular-season record and advanced to three consecutive NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl appearance.

Prior to his first stint at Stanford, Hansen was an assistant coach at Palo Alto (Calif.) High School for four seasons (2004-07), where he worked primarily with the tight ends and defensive ends. After his first two seasons on staff, Hansen was promoted to defensive coordinator from 2006-07.

Hansen was a two-sport athlete at the University of Arizona, playing both football and basketball. On the football field, Hansen earned second-team All-Pac 10 honors as a special teams performer in 2000 while also being a member of the Wildcats' basketball team during the 1999-2000 and 2001-02 seasons.

A Palo Alto, Calif. native, Hansen and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters, Georgia and Halle, and one son, Isaiah.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
2008 | Stanford University | Strength and Conditioning
2009-10 | Stanford University | Defensive Assistant
2011-13 | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive Assistant/Quality Control
2014-19 | Stanford University | Inside Linebackers
2020-21 | UNLV | Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
2022 | Denver Broncos | Linebackers
2023-pres | Carolina Panthers | Linebackers