Panthers all-time roster littered with players from two Super Bowl teams
Panthers all-time roster littered with players from two Super Bowl teams
The Carolina Panthers are entering their 25th season in 2019. Their existence has been marked by appearances in Super Bowls XXXVIII and 50. The Panthers also reached the NFC Championship Game in just their second season in 1996, and the team lost the 2005 conference title to the Seahawks.
Carolina’s all-time roster features players from all four of those teams, including a Hall of Famer and a league MVP, plus several All-Pros and Pro Bowlers.
Head Coach: Ron Rivera is entering his ninth season in Carolina. He has led the team to a 71-56-1 record and four playoff appearances. After losing in the Division round in 2013-14, the Panthers had a league-best 15-1 record in 2015 and got to Super Bowl 50, where they lost to the Broncos. John Fox (73-71) coached for nine seasons and holds the franchise record for victories. The Panthers won the NFC South in Fox’s second season in 2003 and the “Cardiac Cats” reached Super Bowl XXXVIII, where they lost to the Patriots. Two years later, the Panthers went 11-5 and made the NFC Championship Game before falling to the Seahawks. In 2008, Fox led Carolina to a 12-4 record but the team lost in the Division round. Original coach Dom Capers had a 30-34 record in four seasons. After posting an expansion-best 7-9 record in 1995, the Panthers went 12-4 the following year and reached the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Packers. George Seifert could not match the success he had in San Francisco, going 16-32 in three seasons. The team’s best record was 8-8 in 1999.
Quarterback: Cam Newton is the team’s all-time leader with 28,469 yards and 182 touchdowns. He was the league’s Most Valuable Player, plus the Offensive Player of the Year and an All-Pro in 2015 after throwing for 3,837 yards and 35 scores. “Superman” was a three-time Pro Bowler, had eight seasons with 3,000 or more yards and played in Super Bowl 50. Newton can also beat defenses with his legs. He ranks third with 4,808 yards and first with 58 rushing touchdowns. Jake Delhomme had four seasons with 3,000 or more yards. He was a 2005 Pro Bowler who also played in Super Bowl XXXVIII and the 2005 NFC Championship Game. Steve Beuerlein made the Pro Bowl in 1999 after leading the league and setting a club record with 4,436 yards to go along with 36 touchdowns. Kerry Collins was a member of the NFL All-Rookie Team in Carolina’s expansion year, and he started in the 1996 NFC Championship Game.
Running Back: Jonathan Stewart is the team’s all-time leader with 7,318 yards and ranks second with 51 touchdowns. The 2015 Pro Bowler and Super Bowl 50 participant had his best season in 2009, when he ran for 1,133 yards and 10 scores. Stewart’s “Double Trouble” backfield partner, DeAngelo Williams, made the Pro Bowl in 2009. His 6,846 yards ranks second in team history and 46 touchdowns are third. Stewart’s best season was 2008, when he ran for a team-record 1,515 yards and a league-high 18 scores. Christian McCaffrey is a dual-threat back who is on his way to greatness if he continues at his current pace. He had 1,098 yards rushing, a club-record 107 catches, and 13 total touchdowns. DeShaun Foster had 3,336 yards, and he played in Super Bowl XXXVIII and the 2005 NFC Championship Game. Tim Biakabutuka had 2,530 yards overall and was a rookie in the 1996 NFC title game. Stephen Davis was a Pro Bowler in the 2003 Super Bowl season after running for 1,444 yards and eight touchdowns. He had 12 scores in 2005. Fred Lane had 2,001 yards in three years before being shot and killed by his wife during a domestic dispute in 2000. Anthony Johnson ran for 1,120 yards in 1996 and led the team to the NFC title game.
Fullback: Mike Tolbert helped create a backfield of doom with Newton, Stewart, and Williams. In five seasons with the team, he played in Super Bowl 50 and was selected to three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. Brad Hoover played in 152 games over 10 seasons and appeared in a Super Bowl. William Floyd had seven scores in three seasons.
Wide Receiver: Steve Smith holds franchise records with 836 receptions, 12,197 yards, and 67 touchdowns. He was a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and a participant in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Smith missed most of 2004 with a broken leg, then was named Comeback Player of the Year after leading the league with 103 catches, a team-record 1,563 yards, and 12 scores. He also had seven seasons with 1,000 or more yards. Muhsin Muhammad was a two-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2004, when he led the NFL with 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns. He ranks second with 696 catches, 9,255 yards, and 50 scores. After those two, there is a drop off in production. Mark Carrier, Willie Green and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail all played in the 1996 Championship Game. Carrier led the team with 1,002 yards in the expansion season. Kelvin Benjamin had 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014. Ted Ginn, he had 10 scores in the Super Bowl 50 season. Devin Funchess had eight touchdowns in 2017 and 21 overall.
Tight End: Greg Olson ranks third in team history with 472 receptions and 5,866 yards and fourth with 37 touchdowns. He is a three-time Pro Bowler, played in Super Bowl 50 and has three seasons with 1,000 or more yards. Wesley Walls is fourth with 324 catches and 3,902 yards and third with 44 scores, including 12 in 1999. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and appeared in the 1996 NFC Championship Game. Kris Mangum played in 126 games in 10 seasons and was a participant in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Tackle: Jordan Gross started in Super Bowl XXXVIII and played 167 games over 11 seasons. The three-time Pro Bowler was an All-Pro in 2008 and a member of the 2003 All-Rookie Team. Byron Bell started in Super Bowl 50 and played 62 games in four years. Chris Terry was a member of the 1999 All-Rookie Team. Todd Steussie played in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Blake Brockermeyer and Norberto Davidds-Garrido appeared in the 1996 NFC Championship Game.
Guard: Trai Turner has made four Pro Bowls in five seasons in Carolina. Travelle Wharton appeared in 115 games in nine years and played in Super Bowl 50. Andrew Norwell was an All-Pro in 2017. Mike Wahle made the Pro Bowl and appeared in the NFC Championship Game in 2005. Geoff Hangartner split seven seasons between right guard and center, and he appeared in the 2005 NFC title game. Matthew Campbell was an original Panther who played in the 1996 NFC Championship Game.
Center: Ryan Kalil is a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. He played in Super Bowl 50 and appeared in 148 games in 12 seasons. Another original Panther, Frank Garcia, played in 91 games and started the 1996 NFC Championship Game at left guard. Jeff Mitchell played five seasons in Carolina and started in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Defensive End: Julius Peppers is the team’s all-time leader with 97 sacks, including seven seasons with 10 or more. He is also first with 34 forced fumbles, third with 10 fumble recoveries, and registered 436 tackles. The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro also played in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Mike Rucker ranks third with 55½ sacks, including 13 in his 2003 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl season. He is fourth with 14 forced fumbles and has 416 tackles. Charles Johnson is second with 67½ sacks, with five seasons of eight or more. The Super Bowl 50 starter ranks third with 17 forced fumbles. Mario Addison is fourth with 45½ sacks, including 11 in 2017, and appeared in Super Bowl 50. Before his domestic violence issues, Greg Hardy played in Super Bowl 50. He was a Pro Bowler in 2013, when he had 15 of his 34 sacks. Wes Horton had 15½ sacks and appeared in Super Bowl 50.
Defensive Tackle: Kawann Short is a two-time Pro Bowler who played in Super Bowl 50 and made the 2013 All-Rookie Team. He has 32½ sacks in six years, including 11 in 2015. Kris Jenkins was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. He appeared in Super Bowl XXXVIII and had 20½ sacks in seven seasons. Star Lotulelei split his five-year Panther career between both tackle spots. He was a 2013 All-Rookie Team member and played in Super Bowl 50. Brentson Buckner had 14½ sacks in five seasons. He appeared in Super Bowl XXXVIII and the 2005 NFC Championship Game.
Outside Linebacker: Thomas Davis was a three-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 2015 Super Bowl season. He is the team’s all-time leader with 1,111 tackles, including 100 or more six times. The 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner also had 13 interceptions, 18 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries and 28 sacks in 13 seasons. Hall of Famer Kevin Greene had 41½ sacks in just 47 games with the club, and he was a star in the NFC Championship Game season. He had 14½ in 1996, 15 in ’98 and 12 in ’99. Lamar Lathon started opposite Greene in that title game, and had 13½ sacks and made the Pro Bowl in 1996. James Anderson had 454 tackles in seven seasons. Will Witherspoon appeared in Super Bowl XXXVIII and had 103 tackles in 2004.
Middle/Inside Linebacker: Luke Kuechly has been a tackle machine in Carolina. He ranks second with 977, totaling 100 or more in all seven seasons and leading the league twice. He is a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All-Pro, the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and Defensive Player of the Year the following season. The Super Bowl 50 starter also has 16 interceptions. Jon Beason was a three-time Pro Bowler, a member of the 2007 All-Rookie Team and an All-Pro the next year. He ranks fourth with 583 tackles and led the NFL with 110 solo tackles in 2008. Sam Mills was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in the 1996 NFC Championship Game season. Dan Morgan was a member of the 2001 All-Rookie Team, played in Super Bowl XXXVIII and was a Pro Bowler in 2004.
Cornerback: Chris Gamble is the team’s all-time leader with 27 interceptions, with two returned for touchdowns. The 2004 All-Rookie Team member and 2005 NFC title game participant ranks fifth with 507 tackles. Eric Davis is second with 25 picks and also had two scores. He played in the NFC Championship Game and the Pro Bowl in 1996, and had 321 tackles. Richard Marshall and Doug Evans each have 14 interceptions. Marshall had 422 tackles, nine fumbles recovered, and was a member of the 2006 All-Rookie team. Josh Norman played in Super Bowl 50 and was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2015. Captain Munnerlyn had 351 tackles and returned five of eight picks for scores. Ken Lucas had 13 interceptions and played in the 2005 NFC title game.
Safety: Mike Minter had 17 interceptions and four touchdowns while splitting 10 seasons between both safety spots. Minter, a Super Bowl XXXVIII starter, ranks third with 780 tackles, including 116 in 2000. Charles Godfrey, Deon Grant and Kurt Coleman each had 11 picks. Godfrey also had 364 tackles and seven forced fumbles. Grant had 215 tackles and his final game with the team was Super Bowl XXXVIII. Coleman played in Super Bowl 50, and had two interception return touchdowns and 259 tackles. Chris Harris had five interceptions and 12 forced fumbles, which is fifth in team history.
Kicker: John Kasay is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 1,482 points in 15 years, despite missing the entire 2000 season with a broken kneecap. He had six years with 100 or more points and led the league with 145 in 1996. Kasay played in Super Bowl XXXVIII, as well as NFC Championship Games in 1996 and 2005. Graham Gano ranks second with 742 points, including five years with 100 or more. He had 146 points in the 2015 Super Bowl season and made the Pro Bowl in 2017.
Punter: Todd Sauerbrun is a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and a Super Bowl XXXVIII participant. He led the league in yards twice and is the franchise leader with a 45.5-yard average. Jason Baker tops the team list with 570 punts and 25,064 yards, including six seasons with 3,000 or more. He led the NFL in punts and yards in 2006.
Returners: Michael Bates is the franchise leader with 5,987 kickoff return yards and five touchdowns, and he had three seasons with 1,200 or more. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 1996, when he led the NFL with a 30.2-yard average. Before he was a focal point on offense, Steve Smith was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2001 after amassing 1,431 kickoff return yards and two touchdowns. He holds the franchise record with 1,652 punt return yards and four touchdowns, and also ranks second with 2,371 kick return yards. Best known for his “He Hate Me” nickname in Vince McMahon’s original XFL, Rod Smart ranks third with 1,731 kickoff return yards, including a 100-yard score in 2003. Mike Goodson had 1,034 kick return yards in 2010. Winslow Oliver is second with 1,173 punt return yards and he played in the 1996 NFC Championship Game.
Special Teams: J. J. Jansen has appeared in all 160 of Carolina’s games in his 10-year career. He played in Super Bowl 50 and made the Pro Bowl as a long snapper in 2013. Colin Jones has played in 108 games and made 112 tackles in seven seasons.
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-By: Kevin Rakas