Carolina Panthers

Overview
NFC South
Established: October 26, 1993; 24 years ago
First season: 1995
Play in and headquartered at Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, North Carolina
Head coach: Ron Rivera
Championships
League championships
—
Conference championships
NFC: 2003, 2015
Division championships
NFC West: 1996. NFC South: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015
Playoff appearances
NFL: 1996, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017
The Charlotte, North Carolina-based Carolina Panthers are a professional football team.
Establishment and History
The team was added to the National Football League (NFL) as an expansion team in 1993, making it the league’s 29th franchise.
The team was given to Jerry Richardson, who used to play in the NFL and is now in business. Richardson wanted to bring a team to the Carolinas so badly that he spent $140 million of his own money on it.
The Panthers’ first season was in 1995, and they made it to the NFC Championship game in their second year. Since then, the team has been to two Super Bowls (XXXVIII and 50), but they both ended in losses.
The team has also been to the playoffs nine times and won six division titles.
Home Stadium
Bank of America Stadium is in uptown Charlotte. This is where the Carolina Panthers play their home games. The stadium opened in 1996 and has room for 75,525 people.
The stadium is known for its unique design. Outside the stadium, there are two huge statues of panthers.
Notable Players
Throughout their history, the Panthers have had many great players, such as:
- Cam Newton is a quarterback who led his team to Super Bowl 50 and won the NFL MVP award in 2015.
- Julius Peppers is a defensive end who has played for the Panthers twice and has more sacks than any other player in team history.
- Steve Smith Sr. was a wide receiver for the Panthers for 13 seasons. He is the team’s all-time leader in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns.
- Luke Kuechly is a linebacker who has been to the Pro Bowl seven times and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Head Coaches
In their history, the Panthers have had eight head coaches:
- Dom Capers (1995-1998)
- George Seifert (1999-2001)
- John Fox (2002-2010)
- Ron Rivera is a baseball player (2011-2019)
- Fewell Perry (interim, 2019)
- Matt Rhule (2020-present)
Rivalries
The Panthers have several rivals in the NFC South, which is their division.
Since the Panthers started playing, they have had a heated rivalry with the Saints. Since 2002, the teams have played each other twice a year, and many of their games and playoff matches have been close.
Atlanta Falcons: The Panthers and Falcons have also been rivals for a long time. Both teams joined the NFL in the same year as expansion teams.
Every year, the two teams play each other twice, and their games are often very close.
The Panthers and Buccaneers have been rivals since 2002, when the Buccaneers joined the NFC South. Since then, the two teams have played each other twice a year, and the games have been very close.
Fan Base
The Carolina Panthers have a loyal fan base that has been there since the team started. Since Bank of America Stadium opened, the team has always been in the top 10 in the NFL for how many fans show up. Fans of the Carolina Panthers are known for their motto, “Keep Pounding.”
This was inspired by former Panthers linebacker Sam Mills, who died in 2005 after a battle with cancer. The team has also been known for its unique touchdown celebrations, which usually involve the players crawling on the ground or pouncing on the ball to act like Panthers.