My All Time Favorite Carolina Panthers Players

Formed in 1995 with their expansion brothers the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers have been one of the most up-and-down franchises during their existence. The early Panthers teams were some of the best in football. Carolina reached the NFC Championship Game in only its second year and had some of the best linebackers players in the league on that team. Franchise icons like Sam Mills, Kevin Greene, and Lamar Lathon were part of a brutal linebacking core that struck fear into the hearts of opposing offenses. Also, one of the best receivers in team history, Mushin Muhammad, was drafted during the franchise’s early years.

After a 1-15 season in 2001, the Panthers regrouped and by 2003, the team went to its first Super Bowl. Led by some of the best players in team history like quarterback Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers and Steve Smith, the Panthers fell three points short against the heavily favored New England Patriots. Smith in particular has established himself as one of the premier receivers in the league. He and Muhammad formed the best Panthers receiving duo to date.

The Carolina Panthers found success very quickly for an expansion team. They have already played in two Super Bowls and have been extremely competitive since their second season in the league.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS

Jake Delhomme

 

Cam Newton

 

RUNNING BACKS

DeAngelo Williams

 

DeShaun Foster

 

FB – Brad Hoover (2000-2006)

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Steve Smith

 

Muhsin Muhammad

 

Mark Carrier

 

TIGHT ENDS

Wesley Walls

 

TE – Kris Mangum (1997-2006)

 

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Todd Steussie

 

Kevin Donnalley

 

OC – Jeff Mitchell (2001-2005)

OG – Mike Wahle (2005-2007)

Jordan Gross

 

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Julius Peppers

 

DT – Brentson Buckner (2001-2005)

DT – Kris Jenkins (2001-2007)

Mike Rucker

 

LINEBACKERS

Kevin Greene

 

Sam Mills

 

Dan Morgan

 

Michael Barrow

 

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Eric Davis

 

Tyrone Poole

 

Chris Gamble

 

Richard Marshall

 

S – Mike Minter (1997-2003)

S – Chad Cota (1995-1997)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

K – John Kasay

 

P – Todd Sauerbrun (2001-2004)

PR – Michael Bates (1996-00,2002)

KR – Michael Bates (1996-00,2002)

 

NICKNAME

• Team owner Jerry Richardson’s son Mark is responsible for the selection of Panthers as the team name. Mark, who felt that there should be some “synergy” between the name and the team colors also suggested the team colors of black, blue and silver.

HEAD COACHES

• Dom Capers (1995-1998)
• George Seifert (1999-2001)
• John Fox (2002-2010)
• Ron Rivera (2011-Present)

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

• None

SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES

• Super Bowl XXXVIII (2003) – Carolina Panthers vs. New England Patriots
• Super Bowl 50 (2015) – Carolina Panthers vs. Denver Broncos

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

• 1996, 2003, 2005, 2015

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

• 1996, 2003, 2008, 2015

PLAYOFF APPEARANCES

• 1996, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2015

PLAYOFF RECORD

• 9-7 .5625

HALL OF FAME PLAYERS

• Reggie White DE (2000)

RETIRED NUMBERS

• 51 Sam Mills LB (1995-1997)

PRO BOWL MVP

• None

AWARDS

COACH OF THE YEAR

• 1996 Dom Capers

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• 2002 Julius Peppers DE

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• 2011 Cam Newton QB

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• None

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• None

NFL MVP

• None

SUPER BOWL MVP

• None

 

©MMXIX My All Time Favorites, all pictures and logos, team names are property of the National Football League. This site is not affiliated with the NFL or Carolina Panthers.  All Football Cards are low resolution scans from a personal collection and each is credited with the production company name and year.  This site is maintained for research purposes only.