A North Carolina native, Richardson was a former wide receiver on the Baltimore Colts who had used his 1959 league championship bonus to co-found the Hardee's restaurant chain, later becoming president and CEO of TW Services.
This performance tied the NFL record for most losses in a single season and it broke the record held by the winless 1976 Buccaneers for most consecutive losses in a single season (both records have since been broken by the 2008 Lions), leading the Panthers to fire Seifert. ===2002–2003: Move to the NFC South and first Super Bowl appearance=== After the NFL's expansion to 32 teams in 2002, the Panthers were relocated from the NFC West to the newly created NFC South division.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers went on the road to face the New York Giants, beating them 23–0 for the NFL's first playoff shutout against a home team since 1980.
The club is worth approximately US$2.3 billion, according to Forbes. ==Franchise history== ===Beginnings=== On December 15, 1987, entrepreneur Jerry Richardson announced his bid for an NFL expansion franchise in the Carolinas.
Richardson looked at four potential locations for a stadium, ultimately choosing uptown Charlotte. To highlight the demand for professional football in the Carolinas, Richardson Sports held preseason games around the area from 1989 to 1991.
Richardson looked at four potential locations for a stadium, ultimately choosing uptown Charlotte. To highlight the demand for professional football in the Carolinas, Richardson Sports held preseason games around the area from 1989 to 1991.
In 1991, the group formally filed an application for the open expansion spot, and on October 26, 1993, the 28 NFL owners unanimously named the Carolina Panthers as the 29th member of the NFL. ===1995–2001: First years at play=== The Panthers first competed in the 1995 NFL season; they were one of two expansion teams to begin play that year, the other being the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The team hosts its annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Panthers were announced as the league's 29th franchise in 1993, and began play in 1995 under original owner and founder Jerry Richardson.
In 1991, the group formally filed an application for the open expansion spot, and on October 26, 1993, the 28 NFL owners unanimously named the Carolina Panthers as the 29th member of the NFL. ===1995–2001: First years at play=== The Panthers first competed in the 1995 NFL season; they were one of two expansion teams to begin play that year, the other being the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The revised logo has a darker shade of blue over the black logo, compared to the old design, which had a shade similar to teal on top of black. ===Uniforms=== By the time they had been announced as the 29th NFL team in October 1993, the Panthers' logo and helmet design had already been finalized, but the uniform design was still under creation.
Richardson and the other investors paid $206 million for the rights to start the team in 1993. ===Team President=== Mike McCormack, a Hall of Fame lineman for the Cleveland Browns and former coach and executive for the Seattle Seahawks, was the Panthers' first team president, presiding in that role from 1994 until his retirement in 1997; McCormack was inducted as the first person in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor later that year.
Richardson and the other investors paid $206 million for the rights to start the team in 1993. ===Team President=== Mike McCormack, a Hall of Fame lineman for the Cleveland Browns and former coach and executive for the Seattle Seahawks, was the Panthers' first team president, presiding in that role from 1994 until his retirement in 1997; McCormack was inducted as the first person in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor later that year.
The team hosts its annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Panthers were announced as the league's 29th franchise in 1993, and began play in 1995 under original owner and founder Jerry Richardson.
The Panthers played well in their first two years, finishing in 1995 (an all-time best for an NFL expansion team's first season) and 12–4 the following year, winning the NFC West before ultimately losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
In 1991, the group formally filed an application for the open expansion spot, and on October 26, 1993, the 28 NFL owners unanimously named the Carolina Panthers as the 29th member of the NFL. ===1995–2001: First years at play=== The Panthers first competed in the 1995 NFL season; they were one of two expansion teams to begin play that year, the other being the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Mills, in addition to being the only player in the Hall of Honor for over 20 years, is the only player to have had his jersey number (#51) retired by the Panthers . The Panthers have three open-air fields next to Bank of America Stadium where they currently hold their practices; during the 1995 season, when the team played their home games in South Carolina, the team held their practices at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The Panthers have hosted their annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, since 1995. ===Team Headquarters=== The Panthers are building a $1 billion team headquarters and training facility on a in Rock Hill, South Carolina, nicknamed "The Rock".
Dom Capers was the head coach from 1995 to 1998 and led the team to one playoff appearance.
The Panthers are supported throughout the Carolinas; although the team has played its home games in Charlotte since 1996, they played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina during its first season.
Ericsson Stadium, called Bank of America Stadium since 2004, opened in the summer of 1996.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The team managed only a finish in 1997 and slipped to in 1998, leading to Capers' dismissal as head coach. The Panthers hired former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert to replace Capers, and he led the team to an record in 1999.
Richardson and the other investors paid $206 million for the rights to start the team in 1993. ===Team President=== Mike McCormack, a Hall of Fame lineman for the Cleveland Browns and former coach and executive for the Seattle Seahawks, was the Panthers' first team president, presiding in that role from 1994 until his retirement in 1997; McCormack was inducted as the first person in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor later that year.
Jerry Richardson's son, Mark, was appointed as the team's second president in 1997 and served in that role until he stepped down in 2009.
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
The team managed only a finish in 1997 and slipped to in 1998, leading to Capers' dismissal as head coach. The Panthers hired former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert to replace Capers, and he led the team to an record in 1999.
Usually the Panthers opt for white or blue when the weather is expected to be hot and for black when the weather is expected to be cold. The Panthers typically pair their white jerseys with white pants, while the black and blue jerseys are paired with silver pants; there have only been a few exceptions to these combinations. The first such instance was in 1998, when the team paired their white jerseys with silver pants in a game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Dom Capers was the head coach from 1995 to 1998 and led the team to one playoff appearance.
The team managed only a finish in 1997 and slipped to in 1998, leading to Capers' dismissal as head coach. The Panthers hired former San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert to replace Capers, and he led the team to an record in 1999.
Due to negative fan reaction "Stand and Cheer" was pulled in 1999.
George Seifert coached the team from 1999 to 2001, recording 16 wins and 32 losses (.333).
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
The team finished in 2000 and fell to in 2001, winning their first game but losing their last 15.
The team finished in 2000 and fell to in 2001, winning their first game but losing their last 15.
George Seifert coached the team from 1999 to 2001, recording 16 wins and 32 losses (.333).
The team's five NFC South titles since the division's establishment in 2002 rank second only to the New Orleans Saints. The Carolina Panthers are legally registered as Panther Football, LLC.
This performance tied the NFL record for most losses in a single season and it broke the record held by the winless 1976 Buccaneers for most consecutive losses in a single season (both records have since been broken by the 2008 Lions), leading the Panthers to fire Seifert. ===2002–2003: Move to the NFC South and first Super Bowl appearance=== After the NFL's expansion to 32 teams in 2002, the Panthers were relocated from the NFC West to the newly created NFC South division.
New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox was hired to replace Seifert and led the team to a finish in 2002.
Their blue jerseys, designated their alternate uniforms, are the newest and were introduced in 2002.
Pickup football games in the parking lots are common. The Carolina Panthers have sold out all home games since December 2002, and their home attendance has ranked in the NFL's top ten since 2006. ===Mascot, cheerleaders, and drumline=== Sir Purr, an anthropomorphic black cat who wears a jersey numbered '00', has been the Panthers' mascot since their first season.
The rivalry originated in 2002 with the formation of the NFC South, but became particularly heated before the 2003 season with verbal bouts between players on the two teams.
John Fox, the team's longest-tenured head coach, led the team from 2002 to 2010 and coached the team to three playoff appearances including Super Bowl XXXVIII which the Panthers lost.
They did not have another winning season until 2003, when they won the NFC Championship Game and reached Super Bowl XXXVIII, losing 32–29 to the New England Patriots.
The Panthers improved to in the 2003 regular season, winning the NFC South and making it to Super Bowl XXXVIII before losing to the New England Patriots, 32–29, in what was immediately hailed by sportswriter Peter King as the "Greatest Super Bowl of all time".
In the 2015–16 playoffs, the Panthers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional playoffs, 31–24, after shutting them out in the first half, 31–0, and the Arizona Cardinals, 49–15, in the NFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl 50, their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2003 season.
Mills had introduced the phrase, which has since become a team slogan, in a speech that he gave to the players and coaches prior to their 2003 playoff game against Dallas; in the speech, Mills compared his fight against cancer with the team's on-field battle, saying "When I found out I had cancer, there were two things I could do – quit or keep pounding.
Another annual benefit is Taste of the Panthers, a gourmet food tasting which raises funds for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. In 2003 the Panthers and Carolinas HealthCare Foundation established the Keep Pounding Fund, a fundraising initiative to support cancer research and patient support programs.
The rivalry originated in 2002 with the formation of the NFC South, but became particularly heated before the 2003 season with verbal bouts between players on the two teams.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The game is still viewed as one of the best Super Bowls of all time, and in the opinion of Charlotte-based NPR reporter Scott Jagow, the Panthers' Super Bowl appearance represented the arrival of Charlotte onto the national scene. ===2004–2009=== Following a start in 2004, the Panthers rebounded to win six of their last seven games despite losing 14 players for the season due to injury.
They lost their last game to New Orleans, finishing the 2004 season at .
Ericsson Stadium, called Bank of America Stadium since 2004, opened in the summer of 1996.
PurrCussion performs for fans outside the stadium and introduces players prior to home games; it consists of drummers from across the Carolinas. ===Keep Pounding Drum=== Starting with the 2012 season, the Panthers introduced the Keep Pounding Drum, inspired by the aforementioned motivational speech by Sam Mills before the team's 2004 playoff game against the Cowboys.
After recording playoff appearances in 2005 and 2008, the team failed to record another playoff appearance until 2013, the first of three consecutive NFC South titles.
The team improved to in 2005, finishing second in the division behind Tampa Bay and clinching a playoff berth as a wild-card.
Nike had conceived the idea, and the team supported the concept as a way to expose newer fans to the legacy of Mills, who died of cancer in 2005.
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
Although the Panthers went into the 2006 season as favorites to win the NFC South, they finished with a disappointing record.
Pickup football games in the parking lots are common. The Carolina Panthers have sold out all home games since December 2002, and their home attendance has ranked in the NFL's top ten since 2006. ===Mascot, cheerleaders, and drumline=== Sir Purr, an anthropomorphic black cat who wears a jersey numbered '00', has been the Panthers' mascot since their first season.
Since 2006, the song has returned.
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
The team finished the 2007 season with a record after losing quarterback Jake Delhomme early in the season due to an elbow injury.
Sports Illustrated graded the Panthers as having the 10th highest "NFL Fan Value Experience" in 2007, attributing much of the fan atmosphere to the team's newness when compared to the established basketball fanbase.
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
After recording playoff appearances in 2005 and 2008, the team failed to record another playoff appearance until 2013, the first of three consecutive NFC South titles.
This performance tied the NFL record for most losses in a single season and it broke the record held by the winless 1976 Buccaneers for most consecutive losses in a single season (both records have since been broken by the 2008 Lions), leading the Panthers to fire Seifert. ===2002–2003: Move to the NFC South and first Super Bowl appearance=== After the NFL's expansion to 32 teams in 2002, the Panthers were relocated from the NFC West to the newly created NFC South division.
In 2008, the Panthers rebounded with a regular season record, winning the NFC South and securing a first-round bye.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Delhomme's struggles carried over into the 2009 season, where he threw 18 interceptions in the first 11 games before breaking a finger in his throwing hand.
One of these plays, an illegal hit on Tampa Bay punt returner Clifton Smith, sparked a brief melee between the teams in 2009. During their time in the NFC West, the Panthers began developing a rivalry with the San Francisco 49ers.
Jerry Richardson's son, Mark, was appointed as the team's second president in 1997 and served in that role until he stepped down in 2009.
The Panthers were at a record before Delhomme's season-ending injury, and his backup, Matt Moore, led the team to a finish to the season for an overall record. ===2010–2017=== In 2010, after releasing Delhomme in the offseason, the Panthers finished with a league-worst () record; their offense was the worst in the league.
The Panthers and Fisher Athletic have provided six equipment grants to high school football teams in the Carolinas each year since 2010.
John Fox, the team's longest-tenured head coach, led the team from 2002 to 2010 and coached the team to three playoff appearances including Super Bowl XXXVIII which the Panthers lost.
John Fox's contract expired after the season ended, and the team did not retain him or his staff. The team hired Ron Rivera to replace Fox as head coach and drafted Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
The Panthers opened the 2011 season , but finished with a record, and Newton was awarded the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award after setting the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns from a quarterback (14) in a single season and becoming the first rookie NFL quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in a single season.
On March 24, the Carolina Panthers released their 2011 1st overall pick and 2015 MVP quarterback Cam Newton.
Ron Rivera held the position from 2011 to 2019 and led the team to four playoff appearances including Super Bowl 50.
After strengthening the defense with future all-pro Luke Kuechly in the 2012 draft, the Panthers again opened the 2012 season poorly, losing five out of their first six games, leading longtime general manager Marty Hurney to be fired in response.
The Panthers lost a defensive struggle to the AFC champion Denver Broncos, 24–10. In the 2016 season, the Panthers regressed on their 15–1 record from 2015, posting a 6–10 record and a last-place finish in the NFC South, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012, and losing the division title to the second-seeded Falcons, who went on to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI.
The Panthers changed their logo and logotype in 2012, the first such change in team history.
The second instance was in 2012 during a game against the Denver Broncos, when they paired their black jerseys with new black pants; this created an all-black uniform, with the exception of blue socks and silver helmets.
Away games saw the team wear black pants with white jerseys along with the traditional all-white. The team's uniform did not change significantly after Nike became the NFL's jersey supplier in 2012, but the collar was altered to honor former Panthers player and coach Sam Mills by featuring the phrase "Keep Pounding".
Groundbreaking took place in July 2019 and it is expected to be completed by summer 2023. ==Culture== The Panthers are supported in both North Carolina and South Carolina; South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley declared July 30, 2012, "Carolina Panthers Day" in her state, saying that "when it comes to professional teams, the Carolina Panthers are the team that South Carolina calls their own".
During the 2016 NFC Championship and Super Bowl, the hashtag #OneCarolina was used by college and professional sports teams from North Carolina and South Carolina to show unified support for the Panthers. Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com observed in 2012 that while there is "a bit of a wine-and-cheese atmosphere at Panthers games ...
PurrCussion performs for fans outside the stadium and introduces players prior to home games; it consists of drummers from across the Carolinas. ===Keep Pounding Drum=== Starting with the 2012 season, the Panthers introduced the Keep Pounding Drum, inspired by the aforementioned motivational speech by Sam Mills before the team's 2004 playoff game against the Cowboys.
They have finished as runners-up in their division six times, finishing second-place in the NFC West in 1997 and 1999 and finishing second-place in the NFC South in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012.
After recording playoff appearances in 2005 and 2008, the team failed to record another playoff appearance until 2013, the first of three consecutive NFC South titles.
After losing in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, the Panthers returned to the Super Bowl in 2015, but lost to the Denver Broncos.
The all-black uniforms won the "Greatest Uniform in NFL History" contest, a fan-voted contest run by NFL.com in July 2013.
In July 2013, the team's equipment manager, Jackie Miles, said the Panthers intended to use the all-black uniform more in the future.
WSOC took over as the Panthers' television partner for the 2019 season, replacing longtime television partner WCCB, which had retained this role after losing the Fox affiliation to WJZY in 2013.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
After losing in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, the Panthers returned to the Super Bowl in 2015, but lost to the Denver Broncos.
In 2014, the Panthers opened the season with two wins, but after 12 games sat at due in part to a seven-game winless streak.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
After losing in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 and the Seattle Seahawks in 2014, the Panthers returned to the Super Bowl in 2015, but lost to the Denver Broncos.
The 2015 season saw the Panthers start the season and finish the season , which tied for the best regular-season record in NFC history.
In the 2015–16 playoffs, the Panthers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional playoffs, 31–24, after shutting them out in the first half, 31–0, and the Arizona Cardinals, 49–15, in the NFC Championship Game to advance to Super Bowl 50, their first Super Bowl appearance since the 2003 season.
The Panthers lost a defensive struggle to the AFC champion Denver Broncos, 24–10. In the 2016 season, the Panthers regressed on their 15–1 record from 2015, posting a 6–10 record and a last-place finish in the NFC South, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012, and losing the division title to the second-seeded Falcons, who went on to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI.
On March 24, the Carolina Panthers released their 2011 1st overall pick and 2015 MVP quarterback Cam Newton.
During the Panthers' 2015 Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys, they debuted an all-blue uniform as part of Nike's "Color Rush" series. In the 2018 exhibition season, the Panthers wore the black pants with the blue jerseys for a home game vs.
The team plays Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" after home victories. A "keep pounding" chant was introduced during the 2015 season which starts before the opening kickoff of each home game.
The Panthers have won six division championships: the NFC West championship in 1996 and the NFC South championship in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The Panthers lost a defensive struggle to the AFC champion Denver Broncos, 24–10. In the 2016 season, the Panthers regressed on their 15–1 record from 2015, posting a 6–10 record and a last-place finish in the NFC South, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012, and losing the division title to the second-seeded Falcons, who went on to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI.
During the 2016 NFC Championship and Super Bowl, the hashtag #OneCarolina was used by college and professional sports teams from North Carolina and South Carolina to show unified support for the Panthers. Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com observed in 2012 that while there is "a bit of a wine-and-cheese atmosphere at Panthers games ...
Since then, the team has appeared in the playoffs only once, in 2017.
In 2017, the Panthers finished with an 11–5 record and a #5 seed.
Morrison resigned in early 2017.
They have qualified for the playoffs 8 times, most recently in 2017. Kicker John Kasay is the team's career points leader.
and are controlled by David Tepper, whose purchase of the team from founder Jerry Richardson was unanimously approved by league owners on May 22, 2018.
However, they lost to the New Orleans Saints 31–26 in the Wild Card Round, their first loss in that round in franchise history. ===2018–present=== On May 16, 2018, David Tepper, formerly a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, finalized an agreement to purchase the Panthers.
The agreement was approved by the league owners on May 22, 2018.
The sale officially closed on July 9, 2018.
After starting 6–2, the Panthers finished the 2018 season 7–9.
During the Panthers' 2015 Thanksgiving Day game against the Dallas Cowboys, they debuted an all-blue uniform as part of Nike's "Color Rush" series. In the 2018 exhibition season, the Panthers wore the black pants with the blue jerseys for a home game vs.
During the 2018 season, the team did not wear silver pants.
In the 2019 season, the Panthers continued to use the new pant-jersey color combinations from 2018, while bringing back the silver pants with their black jerseys. ==Stadium and practice facilities== The Panthers played their first season at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, as their facility in uptown Charlotte was still under construction.
The role was vacant until August 2018, when Tom Glick was hired as team president.
He had previously served as the COO of Manchester City. ===David Tepper=== On May 16, 2018, David Tepper, formerly a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, finalized an agreement to purchase the Carolina Panthers, for nearly $2.3 billion, a record at the time.
They began the 2019 season 5–3, but lost the last eight games to finish 5-11; late in the season, Tepper fired Rivera as head coach.
Keep pounding!" In 2019, the Panthers unveiled new uniforms.
As the 2019 season was the team's 25th, the Panthers sported a 25th-anniversary patch on their uniforms.
In the 2019 season, the Panthers continued to use the new pant-jersey color combinations from 2018, while bringing back the silver pants with their black jerseys. ==Stadium and practice facilities== The Panthers played their first season at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, as their facility in uptown Charlotte was still under construction.
After six months of discussions and state approval of $115 million in incentives, the formal announcement of the team's plan for a new practice facility came on June 5, 2019.
Groundbreaking took place in July 2019 and it is expected to be completed by summer 2023. ==Culture== The Panthers are supported in both North Carolina and South Carolina; South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley declared July 30, 2012, "Carolina Panthers Day" in her state, saying that "when it comes to professional teams, the Carolina Panthers are the team that South Carolina calls their own".
WSOC took over as the Panthers' television partner for the 2019 season, replacing longtime television partner WCCB, which had retained this role after losing the Fox affiliation to WJZY in 2013.
Ron Rivera held the position from 2011 to 2019 and led the team to four playoff appearances including Super Bowl 50.
On December 3, 2019, following a home loss against the Washington Redskins that sent the team's record to 5–7, Rivera was fired by David Tepper.
On January 7, 2020, the Panthers hired Baylor head coach Matt Rhule as head coach.
On January 15, 2020, Luke Kuechly announced his retirement from the league.
On March 17, 2020, The Panthers signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year $63 million contract.
The Panthers had a difficult 2020 season, losing several close games.
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