The Carolina Panthers, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, became the 29th franchise in the National Football League (NFL) when they joined in 1995. Jerry Richardson paid a franchise fee of $206 million to to join the league. Richardson had been a player for the Baltimore Colts in the late 1950s, he was a member of the 1958 championship team. Carolina joined the league with Jacksonville . That year would be one of growth and transition; in addition to the two new teams, the Los Angeles Raiders moved back to Oakland, and the Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis.
Under Head Coach Dom Capers, the Panthers played their home games their first season at Memorial Stadium, in Clemson, South Carolina. They finished a very respectable 7-9 that year. Playing in the NFC West Division, they won the division the following year before ultimately losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. Key players on the team that year included quarterback Kerry Collins and wide receiver Mark Carrier. Interestingly, Collins would lead the New York Giants to a Super Bowl appearance two years later, also in a losing cause.
History of the Carolina Panthers’ Nickname
The Carolina franchise chose Panthers as a nickname, according to Panthers team president Mark Richardson, “It’s a name our family thought signifies what we thought a team should be – powerful, sleek, and strong.” Interestingly, the name “Panthers” was almost the name of another NFL franchise. The common story about the Cleveland franchise is that “Browns” is names after their first coach and general manager, Paul Brown. Another story, not as common, is that the nickname pays homage and respect to heavyweight champion Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber.”
Cleveland team owner Mickey McBride conducted a fan contest in 1945, and the most popular submission was Browns. According to some, Paul Brown vetoed the nickname and chose Panthers instead. The name was not used, as a local businessman informed the team that he owned the rights to the name Cleveland Panthers. When the Carolina franchise came around, ‘Panthers’ was still available.
The Carolina franchise played the 1996 season in their new stadium, Ericson Stadium. Since 2004 it has been known as Bank of America Stadium. The facility has a seating capacity of 74,867.
Super Bowl appearance
In 2003, now playing in the NFC South Division, the Panthers won the NFC title, and made it to Super Bowl XXXVIII, before losing to the New England Patriots, 32-29. Led by 2nd season head coach John Fox, the game still is considered today one of the best and most competitive Super Bowls of all time. Key players on that squad included quarterback Jake Delhomme, wide receiver Steve Smith, and defensive end Julius Peppers.
Sir Purr, who wears a jersey numbered ‘00” has been the Panthers’ mascot since their first season. Sir Purr provides sideline entertainment throughout the game.
Return to the Super Bowl
The Panthers returned to the Super Bowl in the 2015 season under head coach Ron Rivera. Quarterback Cam Newton won the NFL MVP award that season. The Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. Another key player on that team was linebacker Luke Kuechly.
In 2018 David Tepper purchased the team from Jerry Richardson.
The Carolina Panthers currently play in the National Football Conference (NFC) South Division along with the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Barry Schustermann
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