The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in
Charlotte, North Carolina, representing both North Carolina and South Carolina in the National Football League (NFL). They are currently members of the Southern Division of the
National Football Conference (NFC) in the NFL. The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville
Jaguars, began play as 1995 NFL expansion teams.
The Panthers conduct summer training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Franchise history
Origins: 1987-1994
-
Back in 1987, shortly after it was decided that Charlotte would receive an expansion
National Basketball Association franchise (the Charlotte Hornets, now
known as the New Orleans Hornets), former Baltimore Colts player Jerry Richardson met with a group of
potential backers to discuss the possibility of bringing an NFL expansion team to the Carolina region. Richardson Sports decided
upon a spot in the uptown section of Charlotte to build a privately financed stadium seating more than 70,000 fans.
Richardson's announcement created a buzz in the region, as politicians, businessmen, and citizens all joined together to show
the NFL that a team could be supported in the area. United States Senators Jesse Helms of North Carolina and Ernest Hollings of South Carolina put aside their partisan
differences to lobby NFL owners to support the expansion. Meanwhile, North Carolina Governor James G. Martin and South Carolina Governor Carroll A.
Campbell, Jr. created a committee of citizens from North and South Carolina to help the cause. Preseason games were held
in the region in 1989, 1990, and 1991;
all of the games were sold out as part of the fans' efforts to show their support.
Also, in 1991 the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks of the World League of American Football played professional football in North Carolina,
without any success on the field, though.
In 1992, the NFL released the list of five areas open to a potential NFL team: Baltimore, Maryland, St. Louis, Missouri,
Memphis, Tennessee, Jacksonville,
Florida, and the Carolinas, represented by Charlotte. After the vote
was delayed because of a dispute between the players and the league, the race began again in 1993.
In June of that year, Richardson Sports announced that they would finance the stadium through the
sale of Permanent Seat Licenses, club seats, and luxury boxes. In a stunning show
of fan support, all seats were sold out by the end of the first day.
The feasibility of the team was no longer a question, but it was still up to the league to decide where the team would go. On
October 26, 1993, the league announced that the owners had unanimously voted for the
Carolinas to receive the 29th franchise, the first new NFL team since 1976 (Jacksonville was the
other city). Fans all over the region celebrated with fireworks. In a memorable moment during the expansion announcement
conference, Richardson spoke directly into the camera to thank the 40,000 people who had purchased the PSLs and allowing the
stadium to be built without a burden to the taxpayers.
Even though St. Louis and Baltimore lost out on their expansion bids, they eventually acquired new teams: the Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995. And as the result of the
1996 Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, the Baltimore Ravens were established by the league as technically a new expansion team.
Capers Era: 1995-1998
The Panthers signed Dom Capers, former defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as their inaugural head coach. During the 1995 expansion draft, Rod Smith was the first player selected by the
Panthers. Greg Kragen, Jack Trudeau, and
Mark Carrier were among the other players selected. Bill
Goldberg was picked up off the roster of the Atlanta Falcons, but made Panther
history by being the first player cut by the Panthers; Goldberg would later go on to much greater fame as a professional wrestler for WCW and
WWE. During the 1995 NFL Draft,
the Panthers made their first significant addition (in terms of long-term contributions to the team) by drafting Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins. Collins is currently Vince Young's backup on the
Tennessee Titans. And in 1995, when the Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars began building their team, they had the luxury of something the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks
did not have when they entered the league in 1976: free agency. The Panthers made excellent
use of the tool, picking up wide receiver Don Beebe,
linebacker Sam Mills, and placekicker John Kasay. As of 2007, Kasay
is the only remaining "Original Panther" from the inaugural season. Defensive tackle Jeff
Zgonina, another inaugural Panther still in the league, was on the Houston Texans'
roster at the start of the 2007 season.
The Panthers became the first expansion team to win their first game, winning the annual Hall of Fame Game against the fellow expansion Jacksonville Jaguars 20-14 on
July 29, 1995 (a game known as the "Battle of the Big Cats", due to the similar nicknames of the
franchises). The home games that first season were played at Clemson
University, as the stadium was still under construction. This made the Panthers the only sports team in one of the
Big Four leagues ever based out of South Carolina, even
if only for one year. The Panthers first regular season game was against the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. The Panthers
scored on their first three possessions to take a 13-0 lead before the Falcons rallied to win 23-20. The Panthers first home game
(in Clemson) was a 31-10 loss to the St. Louis Rams. The Panthers won their first game against the New York Jets 26-15 on October 15, 1995, after Sam Mills returned an
interception 36 yards for a touchdown. Later that year, the Panthers stunned the league by not only winning four consecutive
games (an expansion team record), but defeating the defending Super Bowl champion
San Francisco 49ers, 13-7, the first time an expansion team had beaten the reigning
champs. The Panthers finished their season 7-9, more than doubling the previous record of a first year expansion team (and far
surpassing the 0-14 record of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their inaugural season).
In the 1996 draft, the Panthers used their first pick on running back Tim Biakabutuka, and their second pick on wide receiver Muhsin
Muhammad. During the off-season, they also picked up quarterback Steve Beuerlein,
tight end Wesley Walls, and linebacker Kevin Greene. The second year proved even better than the first, as the players found a groove and rattled
off a seven-game winning streak to end the season and took the top spot in the NFC West. They beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-17 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion
Green Bay Packers 30-13 in the NFC Championship. Their fellow second-year expansion team, the
Jacksonville Jaguars, played in the AFC Championship against the New
England Patriots but lost 20-6; the NFL nearly had an all-expansion Super Bowl. Panthers fans took it in stride, however,
as the team had made massive improvement from the year before, and the team was represented at the Pro
Bowl by eight players, including Collins, Kasay, Greene, Mills, Walls, Michael Bates,
Eric Davis, and Lamar Lathon.
The Panthers fully expected to return to the NFC title game in 1997, but a 2-4 start quickly began to cloud the minds of
Carolina fans. Meanwhile, the Panthers became known as much for their problems off the field as they did on. Wide receiver
Rae Carruth, taken with their first pick of the 1997 Draft, was arrested in 1999 for
conspiring to murder his pregnant girlfriend. He was later convicted, and is serving his sentence in Raleigh, North Carolina. Star quarterback Kerry Collins was dealing with alcoholism, and was
accused of making racial comments about teammates (notably Muhsin Muhammad). Collins was later released following the 1998
season. Former running back Fred Lane was shot and killed by his wife during a domestic
dispute in 2000, after signing with the Indianapolis Colts.
Seifert Era: 1999-2001
After Dom Capers was let go following a 4-12 season in 1998,
the Panthers hired George Seifert as the team's second head coach. Seifert had won two
Super Bowls as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and had a reputation for winning with talented and experienced teams.
His first season, 1999, the Panthers finished with an 8-8 record and missed out on a wildcard
playoff berth through a complicated tiebreaker based on total points scored. His second season saw the Panthers finish 7-9
without ever really contending for a playoff spot.
Seifert's third and final season, 2001, was a disaster. The team released veteran quarterback
Steve Beuerlein in the off-season and handed the reins to Jeff Lewis, an untested but promising quarterback obtained from the
Denver Broncos. Lewis was released after several poor performances during the preseason
which left the Panthers with rookie quarterback Chris Weinke under center. Weinke had won
the Heisman Trophy leading Florida
State to a national championship in college but he was unable to duplicate that level of success in the NFL. The Panthers
won their opening game against the Minnesota Vikings but then lost 15 straight games,
an NFL record for most consecutive losses in one season, to finish with a
league-worst 1-15 record.
Seifert was fired the day after the 2001 season ended and the team then set out to find its third head coach. Although his
final season was the worst in team history, George Seifert did help select several outstanding players in the 2001 NFL Draft including Dan Morgan, Kris Jenkins and Steve Smith who have earned
several Pro Bowl berths and All-Pro awards while playing for the Panthers. Smith is considered one of the most electrifying and
explosive wide receivers in the game today.
Fox Era: 2002-present
After being turned down by Steve Spurrier and Tony
Dungy for the head coach job, the Panthers hired New York Giants defensive
coordinator John Fox as the team's third head coach. Fox was known for
defensive discipline and it would be needed to improve a team that had finished in the bottom of the defensive rankings the
previous year. Fox looked to the 2002 NFL Draft to begin revamping the franchise,
starting with the second overall pick: Julius Peppers. Peppers was a dominating defensive
end at the University of North Carolina and he was a solid
fit for Fox's defensive plan. The Panthers also picked up linebacker Will Witherspoon
and running back DeShaun Foster in the draft. Peppers combined with fellow defensive end
Mike Rucker and defensive tackles Brentson Buckner and Kris Jenkins to form what many football
experts called the best defensive line in the game. Meanwhile, Mike Minter anchored the
secondary, while Witherspoon (affectionately called "Spoon" by fans & teammates) and Mark Fields led the linebacker corps. Fox's defense-first philosophy worked well as the
Panthers improved to 7-9 and posted the second-best overall defense in the league including allowing a league-low 3.69 yards per
rushing attempt.
2003 season: "The Cardiac Cats"
The 2003 season began with the Panthers drafting several young prospects, including Ricky
Manning, Jr. out of UCLA at cornerback, and Jordan Gross at offensive tackle. In addition, quarterback Jake
Delhomme, running back Stephen Davis, and wide receiver
Ricky Proehl were signed in the off-season, making additions to an offense that needed to
complement a top-ranked defense. The team was not without tragedy, however, as it was revealed that former linebacker and coach
Sam Mills was diagnosed with intestinal cancer; additionally, linebacker Mark Fields
was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease. The team used their struggle as inspiration,
and started the season 5-0, after Delhomme replaced Peete at halftime of the season opener and led the Panthers to a fourth
quarter comeback, thus winning the starting job. Delhomme eventually led the team to an 11-5 record, the NFC South Division title
and a playoff berth.
In the playoffs, they easily defeated the Cowboys 29-10 in a home Wildcard game before facing the St. Louis Rams in the
divisional playoff game in the Edward Jones Dome. Carolina had an 11-point lead in the
last 3 minutes of play, but a touchdown from Marshall Faulk, a successful
two point conversion, and an onside kick that
led to a field goal tied the game and sent it to overtime. Both John Kasay and Jeff
Wilkins missed potential game-winning kicks in the first overtime, and Carolina had the ball at the start of the second
overtime. In the first play of 2nd OT, however, Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith with a 69-yard touchdown pass to win the game,
29-23, and send the Panthers into the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia
Eagles. The Eagles, led by Donovan McNabb, were in the NFC title match for the 3rd
year in a row, but had lost the previous two years. The Panthers made it three in a row for Philadelphia, as they shut down the
Eagles offense and, with a 14-3 victory, headed to their first Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.
Super Bowl XXXVIII may have been remembered more for the Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show with Janet
Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction", but football fans will agree that the game
was one of the best-played games in Super Bowl history. The first quarter was scoreless, and neither team scored until near the
end of the first half. However, 24 points were scored in the last 5 minutes of the first half, and the score going into halftime
was 14-10 New England. The third quarter was also scoreless and it wasn't until late in the game that things heated up once
again. The teams traded leads numerous times in the highest-scoring fourth quarter in Super Bowl history, including setting a
record when Jake Delhomme hit Muhsin Muhammad for an 85-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, the longest offensive
play in Super Bowl history. That pass made the score 22-21, Carolina. After New England responded with a touchdown of their own
and a 2-point conversion to make it 29-22, Carolina would storm right back to tie the game with a touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl
with 1:08 left in regulation, opening the possibility to the first overtime game in Super Bowl history. However, John Kasay's
kickoff went out of bounds, giving the Patriots the ball on their own 40-yard line. Adam
Vinatieri, who had won Super Bowl XXXVI two years earlier on a last-second field
goal, repeated his heroics, connecting on a 41-yarder with four seconds left, even though he had already missed two field goals
in the game. This gave the Patriots their second Super Bowl win in three years. The multiple close games, won either in overtime
or with a slim margin, gave way to a new nickname for the Panthers: the "Cardiac Cats".
2004 season
The experts all picked the Panthers to repeat their 2003 season success in 2004. Having selected cornerback Chris Gamble and wide receiver Keary Colbert with their top two
picks in the 2004 draft, and not having lost any core players from their Super Bowl run, the team looked ready for their 10th
Anniversary season. In addition, Mark Fields, who had missed the previous season with Hodgkin's disease, returned and was ready
to go. But the team suffered major injuries early on, as Steve Smith broke his leg in the season opener against Green Bay,
Stephen Davis suffered a knee injury before the second game of the season, and Kris Jenkins had shoulder problems that benched
him for the season, the Panthers had problems early on. In fact, the Panthers had 14 players on injured reserve, including their
top four running backs, more than any other team. This led to a 1-7 start, and people began wondering if they would repeat
the 1-15 season of 2001. However, backup fullback Nick Goings stepped up to the challenge
with five 100-yd rushing games, Keary Colbert played better than most rookies thrown into the #2 receiver spot, and the defense
held together despite the injuries to help the team win 6 of their last 8 games, and the Panthers barely missed the playoffs
after losing a close game to New Orleans in the season finale, finishing 7-9.
Among the other things the Panthers did in 2004 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the franchise, they named a 10th
Anniversary All-Time Team (listed below). With the exception of tight end Wesley
Walls, every offensive starter was on the team during their Super Bowl run of 2003. The only defensive players to make the
anniversary team that played in the Super Bowl were the front four (Peppers,
Rucker, Jenkins and Buckner), linebacker Dan Morgan, and safety Mike Minter. Pro Bowl punter Todd Sauerbrun made the squad as well.
Naturally, kicker John Kasay made the team, since he has been the team's kicker since its
inception.
2005 season
Before the 2005 season even began, the Panthers were once again plagued with off-field troubles. First, in March, punter Todd
Sauerbrun, center Jeff Mitchell, and former offensive tackle Todd Steussie were linked to using steroids on a 60 Minutes
report. Then in April, linebacker coach Sam Mills succumbed to his battle with intestinal cancer. And it was revealed that Mark
Fields, who has Hodgkin's, would miss the 2005 season as he did the 2003 season while he goes for treatment. Fields was awarded
the ESPN "Best Comeback Athlete" award at the July 2005 ESPY Awards. Panther fans looked
forward to repeating their Super Bowl run with a team added to by Thomas
Davis and Eric Shelton. Sports
Illustrated picked the Panthers to be Super Bowl favorites over the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason picks, with Jake
Delhomme gracing the cover of the magazine just before the season began.
Despite a home-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints 23-20 on an inspirational field goal by John Carney, and heightened by national feelings of sympathy for the homeless New
Orleans Saints displaced by Hurricane Katrina, the Panthers got revenge against the
two-time defending champion New England Patriots for the loss in Super Bowl XXXVIII winning the rematch by a final score of
27-17. Despite going on the road and losing a close game to the Miami Dolphins 27-24, the
Panthers managed to get a six-game winning streak going. First, they won at home on Monday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers 32-29. Then, they squeaked out victories in
their next two games, on the road against the Arizona Cardinals (24-20) and the
Detroit Lions (21-20). Coming off of their Week 7 Bye, the Panthers won their home game
against the Minnesota Vikings 38-13. During that game, Steve Smith, who
had already emerged as one of the league's best wide receivers, had a real breakthrough. He caught 11 passes for 201 yards and 1
touchdown, with his longest reception of the game being 69 yards. Jake Delhomme also
enjoyed one of his best outings in years, completing 21 of 29 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, giving Delhomme a
nomination for FedEx Air Player of The Week. A week later, the Panthers won against the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers on the road with a final score of 34-14. Then, they won at home against the hapless New York Jets 30-3.
Their winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Chicago Bears. The #1 defense
held the Panthers to just three points, as they lost 13-3. A week later, they traveled to Ralph Wilson Stadium to play against the Buffalo Bills. For
the most of the game, they were held in check by the Bills' defense, as they were held to just three field goals. In the fourth
quarter, the Panthers rallied and got a 13-9 win, thanks to a three-yard TD pass from Jake
Delhomme to TE Michael Gaines. Then, they would go home and win against their
division rival, the Atlanta Falcons 24-6. Unfortunately, the Bucs would come to town a week later and get revenge with a final of
20-10. Despite going to LSU's Tiger Stadium and winning against the Saints 27-10,
they would lose a close game to the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 after a controversial running into the kicker call.
After losing to the Cowboys in the season's penultimate game, the Panthers needed a victory to secure a spot in the
playoffs. They responded with a dominating New
Years Day performance at the Georgia Dome, a 44-11 victory over the Falcons, making
the score the largest margin of victory in franchise history. This was the first time since 1997 that the Panthers were able to
beat the Falcons in the Georgia Dome. With that victory, the Panthers secured themselves the NFC's #5 seed.
The Panthers began their post-season play on Sunday January 8, 2006 at Giants Stadium against the New York Giants. After both sides failed
to score in the first quarter, the trifecta of Jake Delhomme, DeShaun Foster, and Steve Smith showed dominance as they shut out the Giants 23-0. Carolina's coach, John
Fox, used to be the defensive coordinator for the Giants when they went to the Super Bowl earlier in the decade. New York was the
nation's number one television market, and the shutout in the playoffs was significant.
Their next opponent was the Chicago Bears, home to the nation's third largest television market, who started off the week by
reminding the Panthers about their regular season victory over them. The Panthers responded with a victory, beating the Bears at
Soldier Field with a final score of 29-21. Unaffected by the major media hype of the
Bears' defense, the Panthers led throughout, starting with an incredible touchdown reception by Steve Smith on the second play
from scrimmage. With that victory, the Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in the franchise's 11-year
history. However, during the game Deshaun Foster suffered a crushing ankle injury that would keep him indefinitely sidelined.
Also, star defensive end Julius Peppers re-injured an ailing shoulder. The next weekend they played against the Seattle Seahawks
for the NFC Championship title, but came up short, and the Panthers lost 34-14.
The TopCat scandal
On November 5, 2005, two members of the TopCats, the Panthers cheerleading squad, were arrested for assaulting
a security guard at a Tampa bar. Angela Keathley and Renee Thomas
were charged in the assault after they angered patrons. It was alleged that Keathley and Thomas were having sex in a bathroom
stall. Two days after the incident, owner Richardson dismissed Keathley and Thomas from
the TopCat squad. Both women pled guilty and were sentenced to community service, along with denying the sexual
accusations.[1]
2006 season
-
Franchise traditions
Fight song
When the Panthers started in 1995, fans would sing the official Carolina Panther Fight Song every time the team would
score. As the first season was played at Clemson, many fans felt that the song was
reminiscent of the collegiate atmosphere those games had.
The fight song only lasted a few years before being officially retired. Officials with the Panthers organization said that
they received a large number of fan complaints regarding the fight song. The fight song was heard again, although in an
abbreviated version, during the first preseason game of the 2006 season. The song was used throughout the remainder of the
season.
There has been an unofficial Panthers song recorded by the Charlotte hip-hop group Q.C. Riders
that proved somewhat popular during the team's first Super Bowl run. Ted Nugent's
"Cat Scratch Fever" is an often-played song at home games at Bank of America
Stadium.
Growl Towel
Growl Towel is the nickname adopted by fans that refers to small, terry-cloth towels that are waved or spun in the air
during football games. The towels are similar to the Pittsburgh Steelers' Terrible Towel
but in Panthers team colors (1996-1997) or in white in more recent years.
Logo and uniforms
Carolina Panthers alternate logo
Carolina Panthers alternate logo
The Panthers logo consists of the head of a black snarling panther outlined in blue. It
is shaped to resemble the combined borders of North and South Carolina.[1] The helmets are
silver, and in 2003, they changed the helmet color slightly to a more metallic shade [2]. The team normally wears silver pants
with their black jerseys, and white pants with their white jerseys. Both the black and the white jerseys have blue stripes over
the shoulders. The team introduced an alternate jersey in 2002 that is blue with black shoulder stripes.
Like many other NFL teams located in temperate climates, the Panthers traditionally wear
their white jerseys at home during the first half of the season — forcing opponents to wear their dark ones under the warm
autumns in Charlotte.
The team's uniforms prompted a 2003 lawsuit by the Oakland Raiders, who claimed that
the NFL and the Panthers had infringed upon key trademark elements of the Raiders' brand,
specifically the silver and black colors. In the same suit, the Raiders challenged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1997 uniform design,
including the pirate logo. The Raiders wanted the courts to bar the Buccaneers and Panthers from wearing their uniforms while
playing in California. However, since the lawsuit was filed in a state California court, the lawsuit was tossed out because only
federal courts have jurisdiction over intellectual property issues. [3] The
Raiders have yet to appeal the ruling.
The Panthers have made minor changes to their uniforms since coming into the NFL in 1995. The dark jerseys are black tops,
silver pants with black socks and white tops, white pants and Carolina blue socks. They have added a Carolina Blue alternate
jersey which has been worn with the team's silver pants and black socks. The alternate jersey has been worn twice a season
beginning in 2003. They did wear the silver pants with the white jersey just once in 1998.
The Panthers have played in six postseason games, wearing the all-white jerseys in each game. Two of those games were at home
against the Dallas Cowboys, making the Cowboys wear their road navy-blue jerseys. The Cowboys are one of three teams who
routinely wear their white uniforms at home.
Rivals
The teams considered to be the Panthers' fiercest rivals are the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both in the NFC
South along with Carolina. The rivalry with Atlanta dates back to 1995, when both teams were in the NFC West, and made a
resurgence in 2005 after the Panthers won twice over the Falcons, turning the tide in what was considered to be a one-sided
rivalry, given the Falcons' success over the Panthers in preceding years. The rivalry with Tampa intensified during 2003, when
the Panthers blocked an extra point at the end of a Week 2 matchup that would have given Tampa a win. The Panthers went on to win
the game in overtime, 12-9.
The team also has lesser rivalries with fellow NFC South members New Orleans Saints, and former NFC West foes San Francisco,
and St. Louis
Some Panthers fans have begun to consider the Dallas Cowboys a foil for Carolina. This is due to a few contested or
humiliating defeats dealt to Carolina by Dallas, including a game in 2005 where Steve Smith was ejected for touching an official
and a field-goal block was reversed by a dubious penalty, leading to a Dallas touchdown. This late-season loss led to Carolina
being a wild card in the playoffs, not a division champion. In 2006, Dallas won 35-14 with a huge number of unanswered points on
the high-profile NBC Sunday Night Football. Dallas fans think of the
Panthers as rivals because the Panthers have knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs twice. It should also be noted that before
their 1996 playoff matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas' then-coach Barry Switzer
claimed to not know where Charlotte is located.
Some also considered the Jacksonville Jaguars to be their AFC rival since both of these teams came into the NFL in 1995. The
Panthers' first pre-season game was against the Jaguars, which the Panthers won.
Feline theme
The Panthers are one of three teams in Carolina sports history whose name is derived from a feline animal. The Panthers' name
is said to have served as the inspiration for that of an NBA expansion franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats; the Carolina Cougars of the old
ABA were another feline-inspired team that played their home games in
three cities (Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh). In addition, Charlotte's
public transportation system is popularly known as "CATS" (an acronym for
"Charlotte Area Transit System"), and its future light-rail line is called
"LYNX." The city of Raleigh's bus transportation is also named "CAT" for Capital Area Transit.
Statistics
Season-by-season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Season |
W |
L |
T |
Finish |
Playoff results |
| 1995 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
4th NFC West |
-- |
| 1996 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
1st NFC West |
Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 26-17
Lost Conference Championship (Packers) 30-13 |
| 1997 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
2nd NFC West |
-- |
| 1998 |
4 |
12 |
0 |
4th NFC West |
-- |
| 1999 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
2nd NFC West |
-- |
| 2000 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
3rd NFC West |
-- |
| 2001 |
1 |
15 |
0 |
5th NFC West |
-- |
| 2002 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
4th NFC South |
-- |
| 2003 |
11 |
5 |
0 |
1st NFC South |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Cowboys) 29-10
Won Divisional Playoffs (Rams) 29-23 (2OT)
Won Conference Championship (Eagles) 14-3
Lost Super Bowl XXXVIII (Patriots) 32-29 |
| 2004 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
3rd NFC South |
-- |
| 2005 |
11 |
5 |
0 |
2nd NFC South |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Giants) 23-0
Won Divisional Playoffs (Bears) 29-21
Lost Conference Championship (Seahawks) 34-14 |
| 2006 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
2nd NFC South |
-- |
| 2007 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1st NFC South |
-- |
| Totals |
94 |
104 |
0 |
(1995-present, regular season) |
| 6 |
3 |
- |
(1995-present, playoffs) |
| 100 |
107 |
0 |
(all games, 1995-present, including playoffs) |
Record vs. opponents
(As of the end of Week 2 of the 2007 NFL season. Includes postseason records.)
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Team |
W |
L |
T |
Percent |
Last Result |
Last Date |
Last Locale |
Postseason |
| Baltimore Ravens |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
W 23-21 |
October 15, 2006 |
Baltimore, Maryland |
|
| Cleveland Browns |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
W 20-12 |
October 8, 2006 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Indianapolis Colts |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
W 23-20 (OT) |
October 12, 2003 |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
|
| Detroit Lions |
3 |
1 |
0 |
.750 |
W 21-20 |
October 16, 2005 |
Detroit, Michigan |
|
| New York Giants |
3 |
1 |
0 |
.750 |
L 27-13 |
December 10, 2006 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
1-0 postseason |
| Arizona Cardinals |
5 |
2 |
0 |
.714 |
W 25-10 |
October 14, 2007 |
Glendale, Arizona |
|
| Cincinnati Bengals |
2 |
1 |
0 |
.667 |
L 17-14 |
October 22, 2006 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
|
| San Diego Chargers |
2 |
1 |
0 |
.667 |
L 17-6 |
October 24, 2004 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
8 |
5 |
0 |
.615 |
W 24-10 |
November 13, 2006 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| St. Louis Rams |
11 |
7 |
0 |
.611 |
W 27-13 |
September 9, 2007 |
St. Louis, Missouri |
1-0 postseason |
| New Orleans Saints |
14 |
11 |
0 |
.600 |
W 16-13 |
October 7, 2007 |
New Orleans, Louisiana |
|
| San Francisco 49ers |
8 |
7 |
0 |
.533 |
W 37-27 |
November 14, 2004 |
San Francisco, California |
|
| Chicago Bears |
2 |
2 |
0 |
.500 |
W 29-21(1) |
January 15, 2006 |
Chicago, Illinois |
1-0 postseason |
| New England Patriots |
2 |
2 |
0 |
.500 |
W 27-17 |
September 18, 2005 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
0-1 postseason |
| New York Jets |
2 |
2 |
0 |
.500 |
W 30-3 |
November 13, 2005 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Hou. Oilers/Tennessee Titans |
1 |
1 |
0 |
.500 |
L 37-17 |
October 19, 2003 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Minnesota Vikings |
3 |
4 |
0 |
.429 |
L 16-13 (OT) |
September 17, 2006 |
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
|
| Atlanta Falcons |
9 |
15 |
0 |
.375 |
W 10-3 |
December 24, 2006 |
Atlanta, Georgia |
|
| Dallas Cowboys |
3 |
6 |
0 |
.333 |
L 35-14 |
October 29, 2006 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
2-0 postseason |
| Green Bay Packers |
3 |
6 |
0 |
.333 |
W 32-29 |
October 3, 2005 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
0-1 postseason |
| Jacksonville Jaguars |
1 |
2 |
0 |
.333 |
W 24-23 |
September 7, 2003 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Kansas City Chiefs |
1 |
2 |
0 |
.333 |
W 28-17 |
September 19, 2004 |
Kansas City, Missouri |
|
| Oakland Raiders |
1 |
2 |
0 |
.333 |
L 27-24 |
November 7, 2004 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Philadelphia Eagles |
2 |
4 |
0 |
.333 |
L 27-24 |
December 4, 2006 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
1-0 postseason |
| Seattle Seahawks |
1 |
2 |
0 |
.333 |
L 34-14(2) |
January 22, 2006 |
Seattle, Washington |
0-1 postseason |
| Buffalo Bills |
1 |
3 |
0 |
.250 |
W 13-9 |
November 27, 2005 |
Orchard Park, New York |
|
| Pittsburgh Steelers |
1 |
3 |
0 |
.250 |
L 37-3 |
December 17, 2006 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Washington Redskins |
1 |
7 |
0 |
.125 |
L 17-13 |
November 26, 2006 |
Landover, Maryland |
|
| Houston Texans |
0 |
2 |
0 |
.000 |
L 34-21 |
September 16, 2007 |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
|
| Denver Broncos |
0 |
2 |
0 |
.000 |
L 20-17 |
October 10, 2004 |
Denver, Colorado |
|
| Miami Dolphins |
0 |
3 |
0 |
.000 |
L 27-24 |
September 25, 2005 |
Miami Gardens, Florida |
|
(1) - 2006 NFC Divisional Playoff Game
(2) - 2006 NFC Championship Game
Players of note
-
Current players
|
Carolina Panthers roster
|
| Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
|
Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
|
|
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
|
Reserve lists
Practice Squad
Rookies in italics
Roster updated 2007-10-10
Depth
Chart • Transactions
→ More rosters
|
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Retired numbers
("Ring of Honor")
10-year anniversary team
- Source: 10 Year
Anniversary, Panthers.com (URL last accessed August 19, 2006)
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
Coaches of note
Head coaches
Current staff
|
Carolina Panthers staff
|
|
|
Front Office
- Owner/Founder - Jerry Richardson
- President - Mark Richardson
- General Manager - Marty Hurney
Head Coaches
- Head Coach - John Fox
- Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs - Jim Skipper
Offensive Coaches
|
