The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football club based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play the southern division of the National Football Conference (NFC), one of the two conferences in the National Football League (NFL). On October 26, 1993, NFL owners unanimously selected Carolina as the 29th NFL franchise and the first expansion team since 1976. Carolina Panthers Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson, became just the second former player to own an NFL team along with George Halas of the Chicago Bears. The Panthers lost Super Bowl 50 to Denver Broncos after a 15-1 season.
Kicker John Kasay is the longest-tenured player, having participated in 221 games over his 15 seasons with the team. Kasay is one of eight players who have played in at least 150 games with the team, and holds team records for most career field goals made and points scored. [1] [2] Offensive tackle Jordan Gross holds the team record for most starts (167); Wide receiver Steve Smith ranks second in team starts (161), third in games played (182), and holds numerous team records for receiving and kick/punt returns. [3] [4] Sam Mills, who started 48 games with the team from 1995 to 1997, is the only player to have had his number (#51) retired by the team. [5] Three Panthers have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Reggie White, who played just one season (2000) for the team; Kevin Greene, who played three seasons (1996, 1998, and 1999.) and Sam Mills, who played from 1995-1997. [6]
This list contains all players who have played in 32 games (the equivalent of two NFL seasons) or started in 16 regular season games (the equivalent of one NFL season) for the Carolina Panthers; pre-season and playoff games are excluded from this count. A player is considered to have played a game if they have been part of the team's 53-man active roster for that game.
No. | Indicates the player's jersey number(s) |
---|---|
GP | Indicates the total number of games the player appeared in for the team |
GS | Indicated the total number of games the player started in for the team |
^ | Indicates the player spent their entire career with the Carolina Panthers |
† | Indicates the player holds a team record |
‡ | Indicates the player is in the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor |
± | Indicates the player is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Stevonne Latrall Smith Sr. is an American sportscaster and a former professional football player. Smith was a wide receiver for sixteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Carolina Panthers, also playing for the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football for the Utah Utes, and was selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft. After retiring from the NFL, Smith became a sports analyst and show host for NFL Network.
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft, and also played for the Chicago Bears from 2010 through 2013 and the Green Bay Packers from 2014 to 2016. After rejoining the Panthers for the 2017 season, he retired after the 2018 NFL season.
Chris Lee Gamble is a former American football cornerback who played nine seasons for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State.
Darren Lee Sproles is an American football executive and former running back. He is now a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning first-team All-American honors and becoming the school's all-time leading rusher. Sproles was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He also played for the New Orleans Saints and the Eagles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Eric Quinn Metcalf is an American former football return specialist, running back, and wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at Texas. His father Terry was a former running back for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Derrick James Mason is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for fifteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Michigan State Spartans. Following eight seasons with the Oilers franchise, including two Pro Bowl selections, Mason signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005. He became the Ravens' all-time leading receiver with 5,777 yards from 2005 to 2010. He spent 2011 with the New York Jets and Houston Texans. Mason retired as a Baltimore Raven on June 11, 2012. He was the last active NFL player to have played for the Oilers.
Andrew Paul Lee is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft.
Theodore Ginn Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears.
The 1996 season was the Green Bay Packers' 76th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th overall and their fifth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The franchise won its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL Championship. The Packers posted a league-best 13–3 regular season win-loss record, going 8–0 at home and 5–3 on the road. It was the first time since 1962 that the team went undefeated at home. Additionally, the Packers had the NFL's highest-scoring offense (456) and allowed the fewest points on defense (210). Green Bay was the first team to accomplish both feats in the same season since the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. They finished the season with the number one ranked offense, defense, and special teams. They also set a then NFL record for the fewest touchdowns allowed in a 16-game season, with 19. The Packers also allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and set a record for punt return yardage. Brett Favre won his second straight MVP award while also throwing for a career-high and league-leading 39 touchdown passes.
Cameron Jerrell Newton is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He is the National Football League (NFL) leader in career quarterback rushing touchdowns and second in career quarterback rushing yards. Following a stint with the Florida Gators, Newton played college football for the Auburn Tigers, where he won the Heisman Trophy and 2011 BCS National Championship Game as a junior. He was selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Eric Grimes Weems is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver, special teamer, and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He also played for the Chicago Bears and Tennessee Titans.
Patrick De'mon Peterson Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the country, and the Jim Thorpe Award as the best defensive back. He is regarded as one of the greatest cornerbacks of his era and in NFL history.
Foswhitt Jer'ald "Fozzy" Whittaker is an American former professional football player who was a running back and kick returner for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL), during which time he played in Super Bowl 50 with the Carolina Panthers. He also played partial seasons with the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers, and was on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad for a season. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, where he was a 2011 first-team All-Big 12 selection, in the special teams as a kick returner, and was named an honorable mention for the 2011 All-Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He also played in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. He was a member of the Texas track and field team, and participated in the 2010 Big 12 Track and Field Championship.
Andre McXavier Roberts is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at The Citadel and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Roberts has also played for the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Dwayne Lenard Harris is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American football player for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears.
Adam John Thielen is an American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Minnesota State. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2013, playing for them for ten seasons. Thielen holds several NFL records, including eight straight games over 100+ yards receiving, and 74 receptions in the first half of a season.
Christian Jackson McCaffrey, also known by the initials CMC, is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was selected by the Carolina Panthers eighth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. As a sophomore in 2015, McCaffrey was named AP College Football Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He holds the NCAA record for most all-purpose yards in a season, with 3,864.
Deonte Harty is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Harty grew up in the Baltimore suburb of Middle River, Maryland and played high school football at Archbishop Curley High School where he also lettered in basketball and track & field.