National Football League
Carolina Panthers
NFC/South
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Panthers History
The expansion Carolina Panthers took the field for their first game on September 3, 1995 losing to the Atlanta Falcons 23-20. The team would finish the inaugural season with a 7-9 mark with the bright spot of the season being a victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion San Francisco 49ers 13-7.
The Panthers returned the next season with a vengeance going 12-4 and wrapping up the Division Title in just their second season. Matched up against the defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys, the Panthers jumped out to an early lead in the 2nd round of the playoffs and eventually won 26-17. The Panthers then faced the Green Bay Packers for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Packers would burst the Panther bubble as they drubbed the upstarts 30-13. The team would not make the playoffs for the rest of the decade.
In the 2003 season saw the Panthers go to an 11-5 mark good enough for their 2nd Division Title. The first round saw them matched up against the Dallas Cowboys in which they beat up the boys with a 29-10 win. The Panthers next faced the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC Title and the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The much touted Eagles were heavily favored but the Panther defense stepped up sacking Eagle QB Donavan McNabb 5 times and intercepting him 3 times and eventually knocking him out of the game by the end of the 3rd quarter. The surprising Panthers went on to stun the Eagles 14-3 earning their first Super Bowl trip.
The Super Bowl pitted the Panthers against the New England Patriots and both teams battled through a scoreless 1st quarter. Finally in the 2nd quarter, the Pats capitalized on a Delhomme turnover on his own 20 to take a 7-0 lead. The Panthers quickly answer with a quick 90 yard drive. The game would be tight throughout. Going into the 4th quarter, the Pats had a slim 29-22 lead and the Panthers would get no closer as the pats added another field goal and won the game 32-29. The team would not reach the NFC Championships again.
The Panthers have made the playoffs 9 times in 43 years and have won their division 3 times (1980, 1998 and 2004). They have won their conference 1 time (1998), and have appeared in 1 Super Bowl (1998).
The team has had one Hall of Famers on their rosters: Reggie White
The team has retired one jersey: #51 Sam Mills (1995-1997)
Team Awards include a Coach of the Year Awards (1996 Dom Capers) and a Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards (2002 Julius Peppers).
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