NFL Team by Team Guide: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers became the 29th franchise in the NFL as an expansion team when it was established in 1993. Carolina first played in the NFL in 1995. It is one of the few franchises that own the stadium – Bank of American Stadium – where it plays its home games.
Carolina set an all-time best for expansion teams with a 7-9 record in its first season and then won a division title with a 12-4 record the following year. Despite the franchise’s short history, the Panthers have had some success winning a pair of conference championships to earn two trips to the Super Bowl. Carolina has yet to win a Lombardi Trophy.
The Panthers have played numerous games on national broadcasts such as Thursday Night Football and Sunday Night Football. Other national games and regionally televised games are available on networks like FOX Sports, CBS, ESPN, and the NFL Network. Carolina fans can watch nearly the complete Panthers TV-schedule using a live streaming service such as Amazon Prime Video, CBS All Access, or fuboTV.
Home of the Panthers
Carolina played its first season in Memorial Stadium, the home of the Clemson Tigers, prior to moving into its current home, Bank of America Stadium in 1996. Located in uptown Charlotte, the stadium holds 75,523 fans for Panthers home games.
Championship History
Being a relatively young NFL franchise, the Panthers’ championship history is limited. There have been eight NFL playoff appearances (1996, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017) and six division championships. Carolina won NFC titles in 2003 and 2015 to earn berths in the Super Bowl. The Panthers have not yet won a Lombardi Trophy.
Best of the Panthers
Steve Smith may have been undersized, but he was one of the more productive wide receivers in the NFL in the 21st century. Smith played the first 13 years of his NFL career in Carolina. He was elected to five Pro Bowls and was a two-time first-team All-Pro (2001, 2005). In 2005, Smith led all NFL receivers in receptions (103), receiving yards (1,563), and touchdowns (12). As a result, he won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. Smith finished his career with 14,731 receiving yards and 81 touchdowns.
Offensive tackle Jordan Gross was the eighth overall pick of the 2003 draft and spent his entire NFL career (2003-2013) with Carolina. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2008, 2010, and 2013) and a first-team All-Pro in 2008. Gross was inducted into the Panthers Hall of Honor along with Smith in 2019.
Kevin Greene only played three seasons in Carolina, but they were three of his best as a pro. The outside linebacker was a pass rush specialist and led the NFL in sacks in 1996 with 14.5. He set an NFL record that season with five consecutive multi-sack games. Greene earned a first-team All-Pro honor that year as well as the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Year award and the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Greene finished his NFL career with 160 sacks and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.