Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the National Football Conference South division. The team is based at Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte, which is also their home field.

The Panthers became the league's 29th team in 1993 and started playing in 1995 under the first owner, Jerry Richardson. They did well in the early years, ending with a 7–9 record in their first season and 12–4 the next, winning the NFC West and reaching the NFC Championship Game. After some years without winning, they came back strong in 2003, winning the NFC Championship Game and going to Super Bowl XXXVIII. The team also went to the Super Bowl again in 2015.

Now, the Panthers are owned by David Tepper, who bought the team in 2018. The club is worth about $4.1 billion.

History

Further information: History of the Carolina Panthers

Beginnings

On December 15, 1987, entrepreneur Jerry Richardson said he wanted to bring an NFL team to the Carolinas. Richardson used to play football for the Baltimore Colts. He started a group called Richardson Sports with his family and local businessmen. They chose uptown Charlotte for the team's home.

To show that people wanted a team, Richardson Sports held games from 1989 to 1991. The first two games were at Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The last game was at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1991, they asked the NFL for a team. On October 26, 1993, the NFL agreed to name the Carolina Panthers as the 29th team. In the 1995 NFL draft, the Panthers chose their first quarterback, Kerry Collins, from Penn State.

Jerry Richardson era (1995–2017)

The Panthers began playing in the 1995 NFL season as one of two new teams that year. They were in the NFC West division. Their first game was against the Atlanta Falcons. They lost that game, but they had a good first season, finishing with a 7–9 record. The next season, they did even better, finishing 12–4 and winning the NFC West. They reached the NFC Championship Game but lost to the Green Bay Packers.

Over the years, the team changed coaches and players many times. In 2002, they moved to the new NFC South division. In 2003, they reached the Super Bowl but lost to the New England Patriots. The team had good and bad seasons after that, making the playoffs several times but also having seasons with many losses.

David Tepper era (2018–present)

In 2018, David Tepper bought the Panthers for nearly $2.3 billion. The team had some good and bad seasons with different coaches. In 2020, they hired Matt Rhule as coach, but he left after a few difficult seasons. In 2023, they hired Frank Reich, who also left after a short time. In 2024, Dave Canales became the new coach. The Panthers won the NFC South for the first time since 2015 in the 2025 season and made it to the playoffs but lost in the first round.

Logo and uniforms

Logo

The Carolina Panthers logo was shaped to look like both North Carolina and South Carolina. In 2012, the Panthers changed their logo. They made it look tougher and more modern, with a darker blue and sharper details.

Uniforms

The Panthers wear three main colors in their uniforms: black, white, and blue. They chose a special light blue color that is not the same as the colors of nearby teams like Duke or North Carolina. Their uniforms have stayed mostly the same since the team started, with only small changes like different sock colors.

The Panthers have black, white, and blue jerseys. Their blue jerseys were added in 2002 and can only be worn a few times each season. Usually, they wear white or blue jerseys when it’s hot and black when it’s cold. They also have different pants and socks that match their jerseys.

In 2019, they got new uniforms with some small changes, like different stripes on the pants. In 2022, they introduced a second black helmet without any white details.

Stadium and practice facilities

Further information: Bank of America Stadium

The Carolina Panthers started in Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina while they built their own stadium in Charlotte. When Bank of America Stadium opened in 1996, it became their home and main office. The stadium was made just for football by HOK Sports Facilities Group. Visitors can take tours of the stadium for a fee, and groups can arrange private tours ahead of time.

The team practices on three open fields next to the stadium. In the past, they practiced at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. To keep their practices private, they added trees and a tarp around the fields and have a security team. When the weather is bad, they move practices to an indoor place near the stadium. The Panthers held their training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina from 1995 until 2024, then moved the camp to Charlotte.

Team headquarters

The Panthers once planned to build a big new headquarters and training center in Rock Hill, South Carolina, called “The Rock”. Construction started in 2019, but the plan was stopped in 2022.

Culture

The Carolina Panthers have fans in both North Carolina and South Carolina. In 2012, the governor of South Carolina called July 30 “Carolina Panthers Day.” During big games, fans from both states used the hashtag #OneCarolina to show their support.

Fans enjoy many traditions at Panther games. The stadium has parking lots where people gather before games. Some lots have special foods like fried chicken or barbecue, while others have live music or games of football. The Panthers’ mascot, Sir Purr, a black panther who wears the number ‘00,’ entertains fans during games and visits Levine Children's Hospital each month. There are also cheerleaders called the Carolina Topcats and a drumline named PurrCussion that perform before games.

Before each home game, a special drummer hits a large drum four times to represent the four quarters of a football game. The team’s official fight song is “Stand and Cheer,” and fans enjoy the song “Sweet Caroline” after wins. There is also a “keep pounding” chant that fans do together before each game.

The Panthers support many charities. They give scholarships to student athletes, offer grants to schools, and help with equipment for high school football teams. They also support cancer research and visit children in hospitals. The team takes part in several NFL programs that help youth football, support military families, and encourage kids to stay active.

Radio broadcasts of Panthers games are available on WRFX and other stations across the Carolinas and Virginia. Local TV stations show most games.

Rivalries

Main articles: Buccaneers–Panthers rivalry, Falcons–Panthers rivalry, and Panthers–Saints rivalry

The Carolina Panthers have strong rivalries with three teams in their division, the NFC South. These teams are the Atlanta Falcons, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers and the Falcons are close by distance, which makes their games exciting. The Panthers and the Buccaneers have a very intense rivalry. The Panthers also have a rivalry with the Saints.

Current staff

Players

Further information: List of Carolina Panthers players, List of Carolina Panthers starting quarterbacks, List of Carolina Panthers first-round draft picks, and List of Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl selections

The Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor began in 1997 to honor those who have helped the team.

The Carolina Panthers have retired one number.

Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame are selected by a group of 46 people. A nominee needs at least 80% of the group to agree.

Ownership and administration

Jerry Richardson started the Carolina Panthers and was the first owner. He and his family owned part of the team, and other partners owned the rest. They paid $206 million to start the team in 1993.

The team's first president was Mike McCormack. After him, Jerry Richardson's sons took over, but they left in 2009. Different people have been president since then.

In 2018, David Tepper bought the team for nearly $2.3 billion. He became the new owner.

The Panthers have had ten head coaches. Some led the team to important games. Coaches have changed over the years, with the latest being Dave Canales, hired in 2024.

Main article: List of Carolina Panthers head coaches

Season-by-season results

Further information: List of Carolina Panthers seasons

The Carolina Panthers began playing football in 1995. Since then, they have played in the NFC Championship Games four times. They won two of those games, in 2003 and 2015, and lost the other two, in 1996 and 2005. The team has also won seven division championships. They won the NFC West in 1996 and the NFC South in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2025. The Panthers made it to the playoffs nine times, with their most recent appearance in 2025.

Team records

Main article: List of Carolina Panthers team records

Several players have important records for the Carolina Panthers. Kicker John Kasay scored the most points in the team's history with 1,482 points over 16 seasons from 1995 to 2010. Quarterback Cam Newton is the team's top passer, throwing for 29,041 yards during his nine seasons from 2011 to 2020. Running back Jonathan Stewart led the team in rushing yards, gaining 6,868 yards from 2008 to 2018. Wide receiver Steve Smith holds the record for the most receiving yards with 12,197 over his 13 years with the team from 2001 to 2013.