Dom Capers was hired in 2008 by Bill Belichick as Special Assistant - Secondary. He is a veteran of 37 years as a coach, including 22 years in the NFL, 16 of which have been as a defensive coordinator or head coach. He spent four seasons as head coach of the Carolina Panthers (1995- 98) and five years as head coach of the Houston Texans (2001-05). He has also held defensive coordinator duties for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992-94), Jacksonville Jaguars (1999-2000) and Miami Dolphins (2006-07).

Capers most recently completed a two-year stint during which he had defensive coordinator responsibilities with the Miami Dolphins, holding the titles of special assistant to the head coach (2006) and defensive coordinator (2007). Last season, the Dolphins' pass defense was the highestranked unit on the team, finishing the season ranked fourth in the NFL. In 2006, Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor won NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors under Capers' tutelage as the team finished fourth in the league in overall defense.

Prior to joining the Dolphins, Capers served as the Texans' head coach for the first five years of the franchise's history. He was hired in January of 2001, more than a year before the team's inaugural season in 2002.

Capers was also the first head coach of the Carolina Panthers, and in the team's inaugural season of 1995 set the NFL record for most victories by an expansion team (7) as Capers was selected as the Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Coach of the Year. In 1996, the Panthers finished 12-4, won the NFC West title and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, with Capers sweeping all major Coach of the Year awards that season.

Capers began his pro football coaching career in 1984 as the defensive backs coach for the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars. The Stars won league titles in each of Capers' two seasons with the team (1984-85). He entered the NFL in 1986, and served a six-year tenure as the New Orleans Saints' defensive backs coach (1986-91), a period during which the team made three playoff appearances. In 1992, he became the Steelers' defensive coordinator and served there for three seasons, with Pittsburgh qualifying for the playoffs each year. In 1994 Capers was named the Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year as the Steelers led the NFL in rush defense. He also earned Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year honors as the Jaguars' defensive coordinator in 1999, as Jacksonville led the NFL in scoring defense (13.9 points per game).

Capers began his coaching career by spending 12 seasons in the college ranks, beginning with a three-year stint as a graduate assistant at Kent State (1972-74). He went on to serve as a defensive backs coach for Hawaii (1975-76), San Jose State (1977), California (1978-79), Tennessee (1980-81) and Ohio State (1982-83).

Capers played safety and linebacker for Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio

Capers graduated with a degree in physical education and a minor in psychology from Mount Union and earned his master's degree in administration from Kent State. He grew up in Buffalo, Ohio, where he was a star athlete at Meadowbrook High School. He still hosts an annual charity golf tournament in the area to raise money for the American Heart Association. Capers resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Karen.