Fewell, 56, has spent 21 years in the NFL as a defensive backs coach and most recently coached the Jacksonville Jaguars secondary, before being fired after two seasons.
A Lenoir-Rhyne University and South Point High graduate, Fewell has spent 34 total years in the coaching ranks that included time with seven different NFL teams and five Division 1 schools.
He received his first coaching job as a graduate assistant at UNC in 1985.
Before that, Fewell served as an interim head coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2009.
"With his background with coverages and technique I think he’ll be really good for us, especially for our young defensive backs," head coach Ron Rivera said in the press release.
Most recently, Fewell helped the Jaguars pace the NFL in pass defense in 2017. This past season, they ranked fifth in the league in total defense and tied for fourth in scoring defense.
Jacksonville led the league with 182.2 passing yards allowed per game and a 76.4 passer rating allowed during Fewell's tenure as defensive backs coach. The Jaguars' 32 interceptions since the start of the 2017 season tied for fifth.
"Perry was with me in Chicago and he was one of the guys that really helped me take the next step as far as being a coordinator in this league," Rivera said. "He helped me get to the next stage and helped my understanding of the back seven. He’s had a lot of success in this league and been a Super Bowl-winning coordinator."
The Panthers fired secondary coach Jeff Imamura on Dec. 3, 2018, in the midst of the Panthers seven-game losing streak and Panthers were giving up 256.8 passing yards per game.
Carolina still has two vacant coaching spots. That includes a wide receiver's coach and assistant special teams coach.
According to The Charlotte Observer, Panthers assistant special teams coach Heath Farwell was hired by the Buffalo Bills for the same position.
Richard Rodgers is expected to continue coaching the team's defensive backs.