Panthers DB Coach Curtis Fuller Resigned Amid Misconduct Allegations

Carolina Panthers defensive backs coach Curtis Fuller resigned Wednesday, and on Friday the team announced he stepped down stemming from "complaints of workplace misconduct," per David Newton of ESPN.com.

"After approaching Coach Fuller with the findings of an investigation into complaints of inappropriate conduct, we accepted his resignation,'' team spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement. "The Panthers are deeply committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and diverse work environment where all individuals, regardless of sex, race, color, religion, gender, or sexual identity or orientation, are treated fairly and equally."

A source told Newton that Fuller's particular workplace conduct was "inappropriate" toward women.

His resignation came a week after one of the women who told Sports Illustrated she was sexually harassed by team owner Jerry Richardson wrote open letters to various members of the organization and the NFL, including Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and Houston Texans owner Bob McNair.

In the section labeled "Dear Enablers," she wrote:

"To all of the former and current Panthers directors and upper management throughout the building who knew this was happening—who witnessed it happening: Did you ever think to follow the policy, and maybe prevent another female from being harassed?

"Your silence contributed to this horrible behavior by not only allowing it to survive, but to thrive. I know some of you have daughters. Is this type of work environment what you want for them?"

Fuller, 39, was employed by the Panthers in 2013 as a coaching assistant (2013). He then served as a defensive assistant/defensive backs coach (2014), assistant special teams/nickels coach (2015) and assistant defensive backs/nickels coach (2016) before being promoted to defensive backs coach last year, per Jourdan Rodrigue and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.