As players get bigger, stronger and faster coupled with rules of the game
being in constant change, conventional wisdom suggests that players from
different eras cannot be compared. However, I have decided to defy that
notion.
Though the Carolina Panthers have only existed since 1995, the NFL game
has still changed on some fronts in that short span. Though the Panthers
have only been to the playoffs in eight of their 26 seasons, they have made
some noise when getting there. In 2003 and 2015 reached the Super Bowl
only to lose. The 2003 version lost 32-29 to the New England Patriots, one
of the elite dynasties in professional sports. That season, the Panthers were a
Wild Card team. The 2015 went 15-1 before losing 24-10 to the Denver
Broncos in the Super Bowl. That Broncos defense is among the best in NFL
history. The Panthers also reached the NFC Championship Game on two
other occasions, 1996 and 2005, losing to Green Bay and Seattle.
There are some rigid criteria in making this team. The player needed to have
played at least three seasons as a Panther. Since the free agency era began 30
years ago, that standard needs to be in place. One-year rentals don’t make
this list. Personality or legal flaws are not a deterrent to making this team.
This is football, not the Boy Scouts. Being in the Hall of Fame is the
first consideration coupled with impact on the franchise. The number of
All-Pro seasons are a top consideration with longevity also helping
immensely.
Generational reminders
All eras matter. Being on a Panthers team that made a Super Bowl run does
not get you a hall pass on this team. Winning or losing eras, all high-level
performers get considered.
Since the Panthers have only existed for 25 years, there is not enough
quality for honorable mention at every position. To that point, on offense,
I’m taking enough receivers to play four, enough running backs to have a
change of pace and enough tight ends to play two. On defense, I want
enough defensive linemen and linebackers to bounce between a 3-4 and
4-3 and enough defensive backs to play dime coverage.
OFFENSE
QB -- Cam Newton
Though some of the shine has worn off Newton’s start recently because of
injuries, you cannot deny his impact. Mechanically flawed but physically
gifted, Newton was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft after a Heisman
Trophy winning season in which he led Auburn to the National
Championship. Newton is a three-time Pro Bowler. He was NFL Offensive
Rookie of the Year in 2011 and NFL MVP in 2015, leading the Panthers
to a Super Bowl appearance. Newton has more rushing touchdowns than
any quarterback in NFL history. He also holds various other records.
Newton is the franchise’s all-time leading passer and is third in career
rushing yardage.
RB -- De’Angelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart
As the Panthers franchise history becomes more plentiful, Christian
McCaffrey will be on this list. Stewart and Williams, however, are No. 1 and
2 respectively in career rushing yardage in franchise history so their longevity
makes it hard to keep them off the list. Stewart reached the Pro Bowl in 2015,
when the Panthers reached the Super Bowl. Williams spent his last two
seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers but his nine years in Carolina were
very impactful. He was a Pro Bowl performer in 2009 and second-team All
Pro in 2008.
FB -- Mike Tolbert
Tolbert played ten years for three teams but his best football came from
2012-2016 as a Panther, including playing a key role in the team reaching
the Super Bowl. At 5-9, 250, Tolbert was built like a fire-hydrant. He made
the Pro Bowl three times and was first-team All Pro twice as a Panther.
WR -- Steve Smith, Mushin Muhammed, Kelvin Benjamin, Mark Carrier
Smith was small in stature at 5-9 but brash and physical. Smith spent 13
seasons as a Panther and three more as a Baltimore Raven. Smith holds
numerous franchise receiving records. He was a five-time Pro Bowler,
three-time All pro (two as a first-teamer), NFL Comeback Player of the
Year in 2005 and member of the 2003 team that reached the Super
Bowl. Muhammed had two stints with the Panthers (1996-2004; 2008-
2009) with a two-year stretch with the Chicago Bears in between.
Muhammed made the Pro Bowl twice and was first-team All Pro once.
He was a member of the 2003 team and is No. 2 in various receiving stats
behind Smith in franchise history. Benjamin spent four of his first five
seasons with the Panthers. He caught 168 passes for 18 touchdowns in
that span. Carrier was an original Panther after spending six years as a
Tampa Bay Buccaneer and two more as a Cleveland Brown. Carrier
caught 176 passes for 13 touchdowns as a Panther.
TE -- Greg Olsen, Wesley Walls
Olsen recently signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks but
spent nine years as a Panther. Olsen is No. 3 in franchise history in various
receiving categories and was often Newton’s security blanket. Olsen played
on the 2015 team, was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team
All Pro. Walls played 14 years with four teams but his lengthiest and most
impactful stretch was his seven years with the Panthers (1996-2002). Walls
was a Pro Bowler in five of those years and an injury plagued 2000 season
kept him from achieving such a feat. He is No. 4 in franchise history with
173 receptions. Walls was also an outstanding blocker.
OT -- Jordan Gross, Daryl Williams
Gross was the definition of a bookend tackle who was durable and reliable.
He started all 167 games in which he played. He also played 11 seasons
without missing a single snap. Gross played 11 seasons (2003-2013) and
was a member of the 2003 team that reached the Super Bowl. Williams
recently signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills but was solid
when he started in four years as a Panther from 2015-2019, including the
2015 team.
OG -- Andrew Norwell, Trai Turner
Norwell recently completed his second season with the Jacksonville Jaguars
but spent four years (2014-2017) as a solid interior lineman for the
Panthers, including the 2015 team. Norwell was first-team All Pro in 2017.
Turner recently signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers
but for six years was a stalwart interior lineman for the Panthers, reaching
the Pro Bowl five times. He was also a vital but underrated cog in the
machine on the 2015 team.
C -- Ryan Kalil
For 12 years, Kalil was the hub of the wheel on the Panthers offensive line
from 2007-2018. He was a member of the 2015 team. Kalil was a five-time
Pro Bowler, three-time All Pro (two as a first-teamer) and started 152 of 155
games he played.
DEFENSE
DE -- Julius Peppers, Charles Johnson, Mike Rucker, Greg Hardy
Peppers is the best player in franchise history regardless of position. Peppers
spent two stints with the Panthers (2002-2009; 2017-2018). In between, he
was a Chicago Bear and Green Bay Packer. Peppers was a member of the
2003 team, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002, nine-time Pro
Bowler, six-time All Pro (three as a first-teamer). He is the franchise’s all-time
leader in sacks with 97 and is No. 4 in NFL history with 159. No question,
a Hall of Fame berth awaits. Johnson played 11 seasons (2007-2017) with
the Panthers, including the 2015 team. Johnson is No. 2 in franchise history
with 67.5 sacks. He never earned Pro Bowl recognition but was a
consistent performer. Rucker and Peppers were a solid pass-rushing duo
with each recording double-digit sacks in 2003 helping the Panthers reach
the Super Bowl. Rucker’s lone Pro Bowl nod came on that season. Rucker
is No. 3 in franchise history with 55.5 sacks. Hardy has his personal baggage
on the legal front but we’re not pretending those issues matter. Hardy played
for the Panthers from 2010-2014. He recorded 34 sacks as a Panther and
reached the Pro Bowl in 2013.
DT -- Kris Jenkins, Kawann Short, Star Lotuklei, Brentson Buckner
Jenkins was like having the Appalachian Mountains in the middle at 6-5,
360. Jenkins was a Panther for six years (2001-2007), including the 2003
team. He was a Pro Bowler three times and All Pro twice. If he wasn’t
showing up on the stat sheet, he was consuming double-teams. Short
recently completed his seventh season and was a member of the 2015 team.
Short has been a stalwart. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and was second-team
All Pro in 2015. Lotuklei spent four years as a Panther (2013-2017) and
has since become a Buffalo Bill. Lotuklei was a member of the 2015 team
and made the Pro Football weekly All-Rookie team. Buckner was part of
a stellar line that included Jenkins, Rucker and Peppers that helped lead the
Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2003. In four years as a Panther,
Buckner had 25 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks.
OLB -- Thomas Davis, Kevin Greene, Shaq Thompson, Will Witherspoon
Davis is now on this third team in his 16-year career. His first 14 were as a
Panther before playing for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 and recently
signing a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins. Davis’ time as
a Panther, however, was very impactful. Davis was a member of the 2015
team and made three Pro Bowls. Davis recorded 28 career sacks, 18 forced
fumbles and 13 interceptions. Greene played three years with two stints
(1996; 1998-1999) as a Panther en route to a Hall of Fame career. Two of
Greene’s three years as a Panther sent him to the Pro Bowl. He had a huge
impact in bringing intensity in the early years of the franchise. He was the
NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1996, leading the NFL in sacks that
season as well. Despite having occasional injury issues, Thompson has
been a solid start for five seasons as a strong-side linebacker. He was a
rookie on the 2015 team. Witherspoon’s first four years (2002-2005) were
as a Panther. He was a member of the 2003 team that reached the Super
Bowl. In that game, Witherspoon recorded 16 tackles.
ILB -- Luke Kuechley, Sam Mills, Dan Morgan, Jon Beason
Kuechley’s legacy is a mixture of what was and what could have been.
Kuechly retired after eight seasons (2012-2019) because of multiple
concussions. Kuechley’s career was on a Hall of Fame track, which he
still could reach. Kuechley was the heartbeat of the 2015 defense on the
way to a Super Bowl appearance. Kuechley was a seven-time Pro Bowler
and All Pro (five as a first-teamer). Mills was an original Panther after
having established a legendary career with the New Orleans Saints. Mills
played for the Panthers the first three years of the franchise (1995-1997).
He was a Pro Bowler in 1996 but his impact goes beyond his playing
career. Mills also spent seven years as an assistant coach. Mills was
diagnosed with intestinal cancer in August 2003. He was told that he had
only a few months to live. Mills continued to coach and the Panthers
reached the Super Bowl. Morgan spent six seasons (2001-2007). In his
second season, the Panthers went from having the worst defense in the
NFL to the second best. Morgan was a member of the 2003 team. He
was a Pro Bowler and All Pro in 2004. Beason played six of his nine
seasons (2007-2013) with the Panthers before finishing his career as a
New York Giant. Beason was a Pro Bowler three straight years (2008-
2010). He was an All Pro in 2008-2009 with one being as a first-teamer.
CB -- Eric Davis, Josh Norman, Chris Gamble
After a six-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Davis brought a
championship attitude to a young team that proved vital during the
infancy years of the franchise. Davis was an All Pro twice as a Panther.
Davis is No. 2 in franchise history with 25 interceptions. Norman recently
completed his ninth season and spent his first four seasons as a Panther
(2012-2015). Norman was an All Pro in 2015. He had only seven
interceptions but that reflects that teams were reluctant to test him. Gamble
spent nine seasons as a Panther and though he was never a Pro Bowler,
he is the franchise's all-time leader with 27 interceptions.
S -- Mike Minter, Charles Godfrey, Deon Grant
Minter never received any Pro Bowl accolades but he was a steady and
reliable starter for ten years (1997-2006). He was a member of the 2003
team. Minter was a force against the run and a creator. He intercepted 17
passes, forced 11 fumbles and scored four defensive touchdowns.
Godfrey was a force for five of his seven years as a Panther. Grant was a
Panther for three years including the 2003 team. He broke up 41 passes
and intercepted 11.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- John Kasay
Kasay is an original Panther who spent 16 seasons with the franchise
from 1995-2010. He was a member of the 2003 team. His best season
was 1996 when he made the Pro Bowl and was an All Pro. Kasay
holds nine franchise records.
P -- Todd Sauberbrun
Sauerbrun played 15 years for six different teams. His years with the
Panthers were 2001-2004 and he was a member of the 2003 team. As a
Panther, Sauerbrun was a Pro Bowler and All Pro three times. He holds
ten franchise records.
RETURN -- Michael Bates
Bates spent five seasons (1996-2000) in a Panthers uniform and holds
12 franchise records. In all five of his seasons as a Panther, he was both
a Pro Bowler and All Pro.
HEAD COACH -- Ron Rivera
The Panthers have had four head coaches in franchise history. Though
Rivera’s record (79-67-1) is skewed by the 17-2 mark in 2015, it’s hard
to ignore the fact that under his watch, the Panthers won the NFC South
straight years and made the postseason four times in five seasons. While
defensive minded coaches are viewed as conservative by nature, Rivera
was not afraid to take risks, hence his nickname of “Riverboat Ron.”
TEAM -- 2015.
Though the team disappointed by losing to Denver in the Super Bowl,
it had an impressive resume, going 15-1 in the regular season, including
a 14-0. Newton was the NFL MVP. The team sent ten players to the Pro
Bowl and had eight All Pro performers. The team accomplished this
success despite waving Williams and having Benjamin sustain an ACL
injury. In the postseason leading up to the Super Bowl, the Panthers held
off Seattle 31-24 and blasted Arizona 49-15. This version of the Panthers
became the fifth team to win at least 15 games and not win the Super Bowl.
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