Carolina Panthers
| Carolina Panthers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Established 1993 Play in Charlotte, North Carolina | |||
| League / conference affiliations | |||
National Football League (1995–present)
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| Uniforms | |||
| Team colors | Black, Panther Blue, and Silver | ||
| Mascot | Sir Purr | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Owner(s) | Jerry Richardson | ||
| General manager | Marty Hurney | ||
| Head coach | John Fox | ||
| Team history | |||
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| Team nicknames | |||
| The Cardiac Cats | |||
| Championships | |||
| League championships (0) | |||
Conference championships (1)
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Division championships (2)
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| Home fields | |||
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The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, began play as 1995 NFL expansion teams.
The Panthers conduct summer training camp at Wofford College.
Franchise history
The making of a dream
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. 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.
In the beginning
The Panthers signed Dom Capers, former defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as 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 rosters 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. 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 2006, Kasay is the only remaining "Original Panther" from the inaugural 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 it was only for one year. 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).
Second year surprise
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.
Dark times (1997-2000)
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. All the while, the Panthers played mediocre football, and George Seifert took over the team for the 1999 season. In his first year as head coach, he turned them into an 8-8 team, a vast improvement from the 4-12 record the previous year, as quarterback Steve Beuerlein had an outstanding season. Upon a number of huge signings, including Reggie White, the team seemed poised to break deep within the playoffs they had missed the previous year, but injuries and inconsistent offensive play marred the team into a 7-9 season. Unfortunately, Seifert would go on to set a record, and a dubious one at that, in 2001.
The Season from Hell: 1-15
The Panthers had finished 7-9 in 2000, and were looking to return to the form they had in 1996, when they were one game away from the Super Bowl. And the 2001 season looked promising, especially after defeating the Minnesota Vikings 24-13 in the first game of the season, when Minnesota was considered a high-quality team. First-year quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke looked confident, and rookie wide receiver Steve Smith was a solid addition to the wide receiving corps, which already boasted Pro Bowler Muhsin Muhammad. However, the offense quickly fell apart, Seifert lost control of his players, and at the end of the season, the Panthers had lost 15 consecutive games - an NFL record for the worst ending to a season ever. Even more scathing in the minds of the team's fans was the fact that in 12 of those 15 games, Carolina had been leading or tied in the second half of the game, and on many occasions lost the game on the opponent's final offensive drive. Seifert was fired, and former New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox was hired as the team's third head coach.
2002 turnaround
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 draft to begin revamping the franchise, and it started with the second overall pick of the draft: Julius Peppers. Peppers was a dominating defensive end at the University of North Carolina, and he was a solid fit with 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 front four defensive line in football. 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 with the team, as they turned around to a 7-9 record, and posted the second-best overall defense in the league, including allowing a league-minimum 3.69 yards per rushing attempt.
The "Cardiac Cats" are Super Bowl-bound
The 2003 season started with hope. The Panthers had drafted 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 and a playoff berth. In the playoffs, they easily defeated the Cowboys 29-10 in the Wild-card 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 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 as scoreless as the first, 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".
The injury bug
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.
The Return of the Cardiac Cats
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 2005 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 shut out 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 they were totally dominated, 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 pleaded gulity and were sentenced to community service.[1]
2006 Playoffs?
The Panther's started out the year losing their first two games of the season. The first game of the season was a home game aginst the division rival Atlanta Falcons. The Cardiac Cats drew first blood with a field goal, but the Falcons prevailed 20-6. The next game aginst the NFC North team Minnesota Vikings. That game also turned out for a loss for the Panthers, as the Vikings went on to win in overtime, 16-13. Most people blame CB Chris Gamble throwing the ball to another Panther on a punt return. It was not an accurate pass, so it hit the ground, being ruled a fumble, and the Vikings recovered. Fans think these games were lost because of Steve Smith's hamstring injury.
The next game played aginst the divison rival, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Panthers got off to a good start, leading 10-0 after the first period. Even going into halftime, the Panthers had a comfortable margin, leading 20-7. But, the game was not over yet for the Bucs, as they rallied to come back into the game going into the fourth quarter 23-21. After a field goal for each team, the final score was 26-24. Keyshawn Johnson had two touchdowns, rushing and receiving, which was enough to beat his former team. Jake Delhomme recorded his first passing TD this season. Steve Smith had a rememberal return with 7 catches, 102 yards, but no TDs.
The Panthers host the undeafeated New Orleans Saints in week 4, suffering a two game losing streak to them. The Panthers scored first in the game, leaving the first period 7-0. The Saints would not stay quiet, answering back with a field goal from John Carney. The score would be 7-3 entering halftime. After a scorless third period, the both NFC South teams would have a huge fourth quarter. The Saints led the Cats 18-14 with three minutes remaining in the final quarter. But DeShaun Foster showed up and ran for a touchdown. That would give the Panthers the lead and the victory, 18-14. Jake Delhomme threw 2 TDs, one to Steve Smith and another to Drew Carter. The Panthers would start of the first four games 2-2.
Staying at home, The Panthers would face the struggling Cleveland Browns. The Browns drew first blood in this match-up with a field goal, but the Panthers would change this very quick like. After a Panther punt, the rookie CB Richard Marshall would intercept a pass from Charlie Frye and turn it into something big. He returned it for 30 yards and ran it in for a touchdown. The first quarter ended 7-3. In the second quarter, Jake Delhomme would connect with Keyshawn Johnson for a 17-yard touchdown. That would be the only offensive touchdown for either team the whole game. The score at halftime stood as 14-3. The second half was full of field goals, which was the only thing the Browns could and would score. Unfortunately for Clevland's team, the Panthers answered back with field goals of their own. The Panthers packed their bags and hit the road after a 20-12 victory, winning three straight.
The setting of week 6 for the Panthers was in Baltimore at 1:00pm as they face the Baltimore Ravens. The Panthers scored first by a John Kasay field goal. The score would be 3-0 after the first quarter. After a decent second quarter play, the Panthers led the Ravens 13-7. After a scorless third quarter, big plays erupted like volcanoes in the fourth. Kyle Boller, filling in for a rattled up Steve McNair, bombed two touchdown passes to Mark Clayton, both tipped by the Panther secondary. But Steve Smith would be sharing the last laugh with his Panthers, as they rolled on to win, 23-21. Jake Delhomme had a career-best 365 passing yards. They left Baltimore 4-2.
In Week 7, it was a Queen City match-up as the Panthers traveled to play the Cincinnati Bengals. The Panthers scratched first as QB Jake Delhomme threw a 7-yard TD pass to TE Kris Mangum for the only score of the first quarter. In the second quarter, both teams swapped TD blows, as Bengals QB Carson Palmer completed a 16-yard TD pass to TE Reggie Kelly, while Carolina RB Nick Goings caught a 20-yard TD pass. Unfortunately, the Panthers would get shutout in the second half, as Cincinnati got the win with kicker Shayne Graham belting a 23-yard field goal in the third quarter, while Palmer threw a 1-yard TD pass to WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh. With the loss, Carolina fell to 4-3.
Hoping to bounce back from the previous loss, the Panthers will return back home to face "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys. The Panthers received an extra day of practice, but could they overcome the 'Boys? In the first quarter, Carolina started off strong with a 1-yard TD run by DeShaun Foster. The Panthers would even have QB Jake Delhomme complete a 24-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith. In the second quarter, the Cowboys started to play catch-up. QB Tony Romo completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Jason Witten and kicker Mike Vanderjagt would complete a 38-yard field goal. Unfortunately, after a scoreless third quarter, the Panthers squandered their early lead in the fourth quarter. It came it the form of Vanderjagt kicking a 24-yard field goal, RB Julius Jones getting a 14-yard TD run (with Romo hooking up WR Terrell Owens on the two-point conversion), a 3-yard TD run by RB Marion Barber, and Barber getting a 14-yard TD run. The Panther let up 35, may I repeat, 35 unanswered points. With their loss, the Panthers entered their Bye Week at 4-4.
Trying to come off the bye week rejuvenated, Carolina's team will attempt to rebound after their embarrasing performence aginst the Cowboys. The Panthers stayed at home for an NFC South rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football. In the first quarter, Carolina trailed early as QB Bruce Gradkowski completed a 6-yard TD pass to WR Ike Hilliard for the only score of the first quarter and of the first half. In the third quarter, the Panthers struck back with kicker John Kasay completing a 28-yard field goal. Afterwards, QB Jake Delhomme completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Keyshawn Johnson, followed up by FB Brad Hoover's 5-yard TD run. In the third quarter, Tampa Bay tried to comeback as kicker Matt Bryant nailed a 28-yard field goal. Fortunately, Carolina managed to put the game away as Delhomme completed a 36-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith. With the win, the Panthers improved to 5-4.
Even though Nelly is co-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, that won't stop us from stomping on the St. Louis Rams. After a scorless first quarter, the Panthers had no choice but to rally on both sides of the ball. John Kasay booted a 40-yarder to take the lead in the second. Earlier in the quarter, the form Ragin' Cajun Jake Delhomme hooked up with the former Utah Ute Steve Smith for 62 yards. In the third quarter, Kasay would increase the Panther's lead with a 34-yarder. The game couldn't get any worse for the Rams. Actually, it did! Former Cornhusker Mike Rucker sacked Marc Bulger in his own endzone to get the safety. The final score of this game would be 15-0. The Panthers first shutout since 1998. Sorry Nelly.
The Panthers were packaged and sent to FedEx Field to face the NFC East Washington Redskins. In the first quarter, John Kasay booted a 42-yard field goal to draw first blood. The scored would be 3-0 entering the second period. Nick Novak responded with a 42 yard field goal of his own to tie the ball game. But the Panthers would score before halftime with Kasay again kicking a 51-yard field goal. After halftime, Carolina lost the lead thanks to Jason Campbell hooking up with former Steeler Antwaan Randle El for a 4-yard touchdown. The third quarter came to an end as the 'Skins led the Cats 10-6. But early in the fourth, The Panthers would rise again and take the lead after a Jake Delhomme pass to Steve Smith for a touchdown. But just to ruin the day for the Panthers, Chris Cooley made a remarkable play taking Campbell's pass and running it in for a 66-yard play. After that close loss, the Cardiac Cats would fall to 6-5.
Another Monday Night Football game was scheduled for the Panthers as they face the Philadelphia Eagles. Can the Panthers pull off the win like the did in the playoffs aginst the Eagles to go to the playoffs? In the first quarter, Carolina fights to get the 8-yard pass from Jake Delhomme to Steve Smith. But the Eagles answered back to the Panthers, as Jeff Garcia completed an 8-yard pass to Brian Westbrook for the touchdown. But later on in the period, them Panthers would strike back, as Delhomme completed the short 1-yard pass to Keyshawn Johnson. The third period came along and Garcia complete the 30-yard pass to former Saint Donte' Stallworth. But, the Panthers broke the tie once again as Delhomme threw it off his back foot to the rookie RB DeAngelo Williams for a 35-yard play for a touchdown. The Eagles scored again, but didn't tie it though, when David Akers nailed in a 28-yarder. John Kasay followed, booting in his own 45-yard field goal. On the Eagles next possesion, Garcia once again hooked up with his boy Reggie Brown. The Eagles answered back after a Panther turnover by Akers booting another short 25-yarder in. The Panthers rallied all the down to Eagle territory, but Delhomme yet throws another pick. Can you say Deja Vu 5 times? The Cats controlled the lead in the 4th quarter 5 times and lost. Keyshawn Johnson thought there was interference (when I last checked, you can't knock a receiver off his route after five yards) and seconds later threw his helmet, resulting in a $5,000 fine. The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-6, a lot of momentum, and playoff hopes.
After a grueling match aginst the Eagles, the Carolina Panthers travel back home to face a wild card contender, New York Giants. Chris Weinke will be starting this week due to thumb problems for Jake Delhomme. The first quarter began with a 32-yard field goal from Jay Feely to give the G-Men an early lead. The Panthers find themselves in a two-possesion hole after Peyton's brother Eli Manning saw 6'5 Plaxico Burress in the endzone for a 28-yard hook-up. But the Panthers would strike back, finally getting on the scoreboard when Weinke connected with Drew Carter for a 36-yard touchdown pass. John Kasay would tie this game up 10 up with his 37-yard field goal kick. But you know the Giants had to score before halftime. Manning and Jeremy Shockey hook-up for a 2-yard touchdown play. In quarter number three, Carolina sturggled again letting up a Feely field goal and a David Tyree touchdown from Eli. The only score the Cats could fight for was a 45-yard field goal. Weinke had a career day, throwing for 423-yards, but the interceptions is what killed the Panthers. They fall to a record of 6-7, and the playoffs are getting out of reach game by game.
The Panthers stay home as they host the Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers. The game started off by a scorless first quarter, but the start of the second was a 1-yard run by Roethlisberger to give Pitt the early lead. Later that quarter, the Steelers got a two possesion game after Jeff Reed kicked a 19-yard, then stretched the lead to 17-0 after a Najeh Davenport catch for a touchdown from Big Ben. John Kasay later in the quarter got the Cats on the board with a 37-yard field goal. After halftime, going into the next half 17-3, Jeff Reed kicked another field goal, this time a 45-yarder. Near the end of the third, Willie Parker would break away for a 41-yard touchdown run. The two teams entered the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh leading 27-3. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Santonio Holmes returned a punt for a touchdown. Then just to rub it in, the Steelers scored again from a Jeff Reed 26-yard field goal. The final score would be 37-3, an embarrasing loss. This game would crush the playoff hopes for the Panthers.
Week 16 at Atlanta
Week 17 at Saints
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 will continue to be 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.
Prowl Towel
Prowl 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 (1996-7) or in white in more recent years.
Logo and uniforms
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. 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. [2] The Raiders have yet to appeal the ruling.
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
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.
Season-by-season records
| 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) Lost Conference Championship (Packers) |
| 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) Won Divisional Playoffs (Rams) Won Conference Championship (Eagles) Lost Super Bowl XXXVIII (Patriots) |
| 2004 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd NFC South | -- |
| 2005 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 2nd NFC South | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Giants) Won Divisional Playoffs (Bears) Lost Conference Championship (Seahawks) |
| *2006 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3rd NFC South | -- |
| Totals | 86 | 100 | 0 | (1995-2006, regular season) | |
| 6 | 3 | 0 | (1995-2006, playoffs) | ||
| 92 | 103 | 0 | (all games, 1995-2006, including playoffs) | ||
* = Current Standing
Players of note
Current players
Draft history
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Retired numbers
("Hall of Honor")
- Sam Mills - #51 retired at the beginning of the 2005 NFL season
- Mike McCormack - Executive Manager, General Manager & Consultant
- PSL Owners
Other notable alumni
- Steve Beuerlein, QB
- Brentson Buckner, DT
- Kerry Collins, QB
- Stephen Davis, RB
- Mark Fields, LB
- Kevin Greene, LB
- Anthony Johnson, RB
- Mark Carrier, WR
- Rodney Peete, QB
- Lamar Lathon, LB
- Jeff Mitchell, C
- Muhsin "Moose" Muhammad, WR
- Tyrone Poole, CB
- Rod "He Hate Me" Smart, WR/KR
- Todd Steussie, T
- Wesley Walls, TE
- Dom Capers (Head Coach)
- George Seifert (Head Coach)
10-year anniversary team
- Source: 10 Year Anniversary, Panthers.com (URL last accessed August 19, 2006)
Offense
- Quarterback - Jake Delhomme
- Running Back - Stephen Davis
- Fullback - Brad Hoover
- Wide Receiver - Muhsin Muhammad
- Wide Receiver - Steve Smith
- Center - Jeff Mitchell
- Tackle - Jordan Gross
- Tackle - Todd Steussie
- Guard - Kevin Donnalley
- Guard - Jeno James
- Tight End - Wesley Walls
Defense
- Defensive End - Julius Peppers
- Defensive End - Mike Rucker
- Defensive Tackle - Brentson Buckner
- Defensive Tackle - Kris Jenkins
- Linebacker - Kevin Greene
- Linebacker - Sam Mills
- Linebacker - Dan Morgan
- Cornerback - Eric Davis
- Cornerback - Tyrone Poole
- Safety - Chad Cota
- Safety - Mike Minter
Special Teams
- Placekicker - John Kasay
- Punter - Todd Sauerbrun
- Kick/punt Returner - Michael Bates
Head coaches
- Dom Capers (1995-1998)
- George Seifert (1999-2001)
- John Fox (2002-present)
Current staff
- Head Coach - John Fox
- Assistant Head Coach / Running Backs Coach - Jim Skipper
- Offensive Coordinator - Dan Henning
- Defensive Coordinator - Mike Trgovac
- Special Teams Coach - Danny Crossman
- Special Teams Assistant/ Assistant Strength and Conditioning - Tony Levine
- Quarterbacks Coach - Mike McCoy
- Wide Receivers Coach - Richard Williamson
- Tight Ends Coach - Dave Magazu
- Offensive Line Coach - Mike Maser
- Defensive Line Coach - Sal Sunseri
- Linebackers Coach - Ken Flajole
- Defensive Backs Coach - Rod Perry
- Strength and Conditioning - Jerry Simmons
References
External links
- Carolina Panthers official web site
- Carolina Panthers Fan Club (on Yahoo): established in 1998, the oldest online Carolina Panthers fan club
- Sports E-Cyclopedia.com
- Carolina Panthers Scout.com Site "Panthers Insider"
- Carolina Panthers Wide Receiver Steve Smith Official Site
- Carolina Panthers Fan base in the nations Capitol