Bruce DeHaven, who spent the final four of his 30 seasons as a special teams coach with the Panthers, died late Tuesday following a nearly two-year battle with cancer. DeHaven was 68.
DeHaven, an accomplished and beloved coach, spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Bills and spent most of his final days in the Buffalo area. During training camp, DeHaven transitioned from special teams coordinator to senior advisor in order to concentrate on treatment.
DeHaven was special teams coordinator for five teams that reached the Super Bowl, helping the Panthers reach the game last season and leading one of the league’s elite special teams units into four consecutive Super Bowls with the Bills in the early 1990s.