The Carolina Panthers are an NFL team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, competing in the NFC South division. Home games take place at the Bank of America Stadium, where the organization also has its headquarters. There is support for the team in both North and South Carolina.
The team won the NFC West title in 1996, and have won the NFC South division on five occasions. The team has captured two NFC Championships, doing so in 2003 and 2015. They lost to the New England Patriots in their first Super Bowl appearance in 2003 and lost to the Denver Broncos when they made it back to the Super Bowl in 2015. A case of third-time lucky, maybe.
History of the Carolina Panthers
Jerry Richardson first bid for an NFL expansion franchise in the Carolinas in 1987 but it was not until 1993 that NFL owners voted to make the Panthers the twenty-ninth NFL franchise. They were one of two new teams to take part in the 1995 NFL season, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team were initially placed in the NFC West alongside four other teams and secured a 7-9 record in their first season, the best debut season for a new NFL franchise.
They went 12-4 in their second season and won the NFC West, beating the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Dallas Cowboys, in the division round of the playoffs. However, they were defeated in the NFC Championship game by the Green Bay Packers who would go on to win the Super Bowl that year. The team's fortunes then declined and they ended to 2001 season 1-15 which was then a record for the most losses and the highest number of consecutive losses in a single season.
First Super Bowl
With the NFL expanding to 32 teams in 2002, the Panthers were moved to the new NFC South division. After a good 11-5 regular season in 2003, the Panthers went all of the way to the Super Bowl for the first time but lost to the New England Patriots in an exciting game.
The team had fairly average performances over the next few seasons, before a dismal 2-14 record in 2010 which led to the firing of the head coach. The team improved again under new coach Ron Rivera, who quickly selected Cam Newton in the 2011 NFL Draft.
A record season
In 2015, the team started off the year 14-0 and would end the season 15-1, tying the NFL record for the best NFC regular-season performance. They comprehensively beat the Arizona Carolinas in the NFC Championship game and took on the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. In a defensive game, they lost to the Broncos and the following season they missed the playoffs.
The team was sold to David Tepper in May 2018 for a record $2.3 billion. Rivera was fired as coach in 2019, with former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule taking over and Cam Newton released the same year.
Carolina Panthers support
The Carolina Panthers began playing their NFL football in Clemson’s Memorial Stadium in South Carolina, as their Charlotte facilities were still being constructed. The Bank of America stadium first opened in the summer of 1996.
Home games are known for their great atmospheres, the crowd chanting ‘Keep Pounding’ before kickoff, and Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’ playing over the speakers after a home win. In terms of rivalries, there are always keen battles with the likes of the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers play in the colours black, blue and white.
Notable players
While the Carolina Panthers are still a relatively young franchise, they have had a number of notable players over the years. Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. was a loved son of the team for many years. Players in the Hall of Honor include Sam Mills, Wesley Walls, and Jordan Gross. Reggie White and Kevin Greene are Hall of Famers.
Betting on Carolina Panthers games
The Carolina Panthers bring an exciting brand of football to each and every game. There are plenty of exciting matchups to follow along the way. You have tons of betting opportunities that you can check out with the leading betting sites. You can read reviews of the platforms over on Roger.com.
