Nearly five years ago, the Carolina Panthers were the best team in the NFL. They had an electric quarterback who won NFL MVP, a future Hall of Fame linebacker, a Pro Bowl center and guard, and a top three tight end. They had a coach who dug them out of irrelevancy and transformed them into a team that was competitive in nearly every game they played. This was a team that was one clutch drive away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the first time ever.
Who would've imagined that five years from that point, they'd be in the mix for the number one overall pick in 2021? I look at this roster and it is completely different than what it was even one year ago, let alone five years ago. Every core player that you see above is now gone. Luke Kuechly, Charles Johnson, and Ryan Kalil retired. Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen are now on new teams (Redskins, Seahawks). Oh...and Cam Newton.
I'm very nostalgic and recently came to the conclusion that all the players I grew up rooting for are now gone. It is hard to see what has taken place after Carolina was so close to the pinnacle. They had so much going for them and now it's back to square one. Ultimately, inconsistencies and failure to adjust did them in. Now, with a new owner and new head coach, this team will look completely different. That's the reality of the NFL. Every team has a "championship window." It may be ten seasons. It may be one. The Panthers had their chance.
That being said, in honor of the good times, it's time to sing "Sweet Caroline" one last time and recap the last decade of Carolina Panthers football with the best seasons, games, and players...
Top 10 Carolina Panthers games of the 2010s
Honorable Mentions
HM4: Weeks 3-9 of 2018 (5-1 record)
This is the last stretch of games where Cam Newton was at his best before injuries took their toll.
Week 5: Graham Gano hits an INCREDIBLE 63 yard field goal w/ one second left to give the Panthers a dramatic 33-31 win over Big Blue.
Week 9: Newton, McCaffrey, Olsen explode in 42 point explosion against the Buccaneers. Final Score: 42-28 Panthers
Gano hits game-winning 48 yard field goal as time expired
Cam Newton is 2-0 against the G.O.A.T. Tom Brady
Final Score: Panthers 33, Patriots 30
Cam Newton's first win in the NFL
Greg Olsen game-winning TD
Monsoon game :)
Cam Newton and Ron Rivera's first playoff win in Carolina
Fozzy Whittaker, Mike Tolbert sparks team in second half
Defense shuts down Arizona offense; holds them under 80 net yards of offense
10. Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants Week 15, 2015
I don't know what it is but whenever the Giants play the Panthers, there seems to be major drama involved. Panthers CB Josh Norman and Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. were two big "personalities" that went at it all afternoon long. Between the two of them, there was SIX flags thrown. Absolutely ridiculous. After Beckham Jr. dropped a wide open touchdown in the first quarter, it was clear that he had Norman on his mind.
Because of the drama, this game may have overlooked the most underrated performance for Cam Newton's career in Carolina. He accumulated 340 yards passing, 5 TDs, and 100 yards rushing. If someone says Newton didn't deserve the 2015 NFL MVP, just tell them to watch this game and they'll see why he did.
Newton spread the ball as receivers Devin Funchess, Corey Brown, Ted Ginn Jr, and Greg Olsen all found the end zone. The Panthers were up 35-7 and were en route to another dominating win. There was one big issue for Carolina in 2015: they couldn't close games. It reared its ugly head in the fourth quarter as the Panthers defense surrendered 21 points.
On 4th and 5 at the Carolina 14, Eli Manning lobbed a pass to Beckham Jr for the touchdown, beating Josh Norman and tying the game at 35. It was up to Newton to drive his team down the field and get them in position to stay undefeated. He did just that, using he legs to set his team up for Gano's 43 yard field goal to send them to 14-0 on the season.
9. Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers 2015 Divisional Round
After losing to Seattle in the 2014-15 Divisional, the Panthers were looking for a little payback and head to their first NFC Championship since they played the Seahawks at Quest Field in the 2005 season.
The very first offensive snap was a 59 yard rush for Jonathan Stewart which set the tone for the first half. Meanwhile, the Hawks' first offensive possession was a disaster. DT Kawann Short collapsed the pocket forcing Russell Wilson to let go of the ball early. Per usual, Luke Kuechly was in the right place, intercepting the off target pass and taking it back for six. 14-0 in less than four minutes.
Later in the second quarter, Cam Newton threaded the needle to the left corner of the end-zone in-between two defenders to TE Greg Olsen to put the Panthers up 31-0.
Carolina did not score in the second half and let Seattle make things too close for comfort. Fortunately for Carolina, Thomas Davis recovered a late onside kick to shut down the Seahawks incredible rally.
8. Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons 2014 Week 17
There is no reason a team that started the season 3-8-1 should’ve been in a position to get into the playoffs but the 2014 season was anything but ordinary for the NFC South. The Falcons were 6-9 and the Panthers were at 6-8-1 (tied the Bengals 37-37 earlier in the year).
In a "win or go home" situation, the Panthers came to play. Cam Newton didn't have to do much (10-16 for 114 yards passing, TD; a career low), because the defense dominated the game.
Safeties Roman Harper and Tre Boston both had a pick-six and this game was never in doubt.
7. Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints 2017 Wild Card
The Panthers big issue in the 2017-18 season was their inability to defeat the Saints. In the third matchup of the year, Carolina gave it everything they had.
Newton’s receivers were Russell Shepard, Kaelin Clay, and Brenton Bersin....yikes. He still had ol’ reliable Greg Olsen who ate in this game. Graham Gano missed a 25 yard field goal in the first quarter but made a 58 yard field goal in the second quarter. Makes absolutely no sense.
On the final drive of Carolina’s season, Newton made one of the best throws of his career, threading the needle to Kaelin Clay. Even on a 3rd and 23 situation, Newton made a throw, that with a healthy Devin Funchess, would've been caught. However, it was not to be as Newton was sacked on 4th down and the Panthers ran out of time on a classic Wild Card game.
6. Carolina Panthers @ Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day 2015
The Panthers perfect record remained in tact through 10 games but the big media story for this game was Tony Romo valiant attempt to save the Cowboys season. Somehow, a 3-7 team was favored to beat a 10-0 team. Romo had just beaten Miami a week earlier and some people believed they could run the table and win the NFC East.
That hope was short lived. Just 59 seconds into the game, Kurt Coleman picked off an errant Romo pass and took it to the house for a pick-six to go up 7-0 early.
Meanwhile, Luke Kuechly had an incredible game, picking off a rusty Romo twice, including a pick-six. On a sack attempt, LB Thomas Davis landed on the collarbone of Romo, re-breaking it and ended his season. It was sad to see no doubt.
It wasn't until late in the third quarter that Carolina's offense finally found paydirt. Newton's celebration on the touchdown run was one of the best I've seen from him. Another easy win and this time, it came in primetime in the Panthers first Thanksgiving Day game.
5. New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers 2013 Week 16
The offense was stuck in mud for 59 minutes and five seconds. Outside of a long DeAngelo Williams TD run, it was ugly. It looked as if the Panthers would lose another heartbreaker...
Carolina's defense came alive in the contest. "LUUUKE" was heard all game long, racking up 24 TACKLES. Yes, 24 in one game. He and teammate Thomas Davis added an interception off Drew Brees in the rain-filled game. There wasn't much else to talk about in the game, because besides the finish, it was pretty sad to watch.
So yeah, about those last 55 seconds. In 2011 and 2012, the Panthers found every way to lose. In 2013, they believed they could win. Newton's clutch gene came through, firing a rocket over the middle to Ted Ginn. A few plays later, Cam looked to an unlikely hero, as backup receiver Dominik Hixon laid out for the game-winning touchdown on a corner route.
The Cardiac Cats were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and proved they weren't the same ol' team fans were accustomed to seeing. They were back.
4. Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals 2011 Week 1
The debut of SuperCam. The fanbase was energized for Cam Newton to step on the field in the pros. They didn't have to wait long for the fireworks as Newton found a wide open Steve Smith for a 77 yard touchdown in the first quarter for the former's first passing touchdown of his career. Smith later found the endzone again with seven seconds left before halftime on a beautiful jumping reception over a defender.
With 5:50 left in the third quarter, Newton jumped over the Cardinals defensive line for his first rushing touchdown. Following that, the "superman" celebration was born.
The Panthers were down seven with just over two minutes to go. Could Cam lead his first game winning drive? On a 4th and 5 at the six yard line, Newton rocketed a pass to backup running back Mike Goodson. However, after rolling over a defender, he was one yard short of the first down. So close but yet so far.
Newton finished the game with 422 passing yards, two passing touchdowns; one rushing touchdown on 8 carries for 18 yards.
3. Carolina Panthers @ Seattle Seahawks Week 5, 2015
The Seahawks were the class of the NFC for the last two seasons, playing in Super Bowl 48 and 49. This was supposed to be the game that Carolina was exposed. They "hadn't played anyone." Pundits did have a point. The quarterbacks they faced were Jameis Winston, Ryan Mallett, Luke McCown, and Blake Bortles. Not exactly world beaters.
A trip to the West Coast against an elite team could change the narrative on if Rivera's Panthers were the real deal. Although the Seahawks started out the gates slow (2-3 record), not many gave the Panthers a chance. After all, this was a team that the Panthers hadn't beaten since 2007. Why would things change now?
The Panthers were down nine with under four minutes left but a Jonathan Stewart touchdown got the score to 23-20. Carolina's defense did their job, forcing the Seahawks to punt and giving the ball back to Newton and Co. Funchess, Ginn, and Jerricho Cotchery all made big time catches, setting up the Panthers in field goal range.
Would OC Mike Shula be conservative and play for overtime? Short answer: no. The Seahawks had a communication breakdown in the secondary, leaving Greg Olsen wide open as the Panthers took advantage for the go-ahead touchdown with 32 seconds left. The statement was made and the NFL world started to take notice of Newton, Olsen, Rivera, and the surprising Panthers.
2. New England Patriots @ Carolina Panthers Week 11, 2013 (MNF)
In my opinion, this game put Carolina on the map once again. The Panthers were in the midst of a revitalized season and needed a signature win to solidify themselves as a legit contender. When Tom Brady and the New England Patriots come to town on a Monday Night, the lights couldn’t shine much brighter. This team had been close in many games but couldn’t win the close games.
It was a back and forth game with the defenses owning the show in the first half. In the second half, the Panthers saw their small lead turn into a three-point deficit with 6:26 left in the game. Newton’s final drive was the best at the time of his young career. He was unfazed and made every play count. He capped it off with a 25 yard touchdown throw to Ted Ginn, his first reception of the game, with under a minute left.
With New England down by four and needed to reach paydirt, Tom Brady underthrew a pass in the endzone which was intercepted by safety Robert Lester. Subsequently, a flag was thrown for a potential pass interference on Luke Kuechly as he “hugged” Rob Gronkowski. After the refs conferred for about thirty seconds, they ruled there was no flag on the play and Carolina wins. Looking back, there was definitely contact but I guess the refs believed there was almost no chance the ball could’ve been caught.
Either way, it was an important win for the Panthers that catapulted them into the #2 seed in the NFC that year and their first playoff appearance since 2008. To Panthers fans, this game will be remembered for a big statement win and the battle between Steve Smith and Patriots CB Aqib Talib. To non-Panthers fans, this game will be remembered for the “no-call” on the game’s final snap.
This game put Carolina back on the map and showed the NFL that Cam Newton and the Panthers were here to stay for the foreseeable future.
1. Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers 2015 NFC Championship Game
Is there much of a question of what would be number one? With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Carolina hosted their first ever NFC Championship Game and boy did it deliver. The Panthers made sure they would have no doubters in their complete domination of the Cardinals. Receiver Corey “Philly” Brown made a huge 86 yard touchdown grab to make the score 17-0 and ignite the celebration early.
Later, in the second half, Newton ran for his league-leading twelfth rushing touchdown for a quarterback and somersaulted over a Cardinal to go up 34-7. Safety Kurt Coleman was an unheralded star, nabbing two interceptions in the victory.
When the dust settled in the NFC Championship, Carolina forced an incredible seven turnovers with six coming off Cardinals QB Carson Palmer. All the pain of the 2008 NFC Divisional loss to Arizona was soon forgotten as the Panthers blitzed their way to Super Bowl 50.
Top Ten Plays
Honorable Mentions:
Panthers games I went to
Top 3 Seasons of the 2010s
Honorable Mentions:
2014 Season
Made the playoffs despite 7-8-1 record
2011 Season
Ignited hope in the fanbase and established new beginnings under Newton and Rivera
3. 2017 (11-5 record, lost in Wild Card)
This was the definition of a solid team. Twenty years from now, I doubt many will remember this team but I'm still proud of what was the last good season for Carolina up to this point.
Beating the Patriots on the road?
Damiere Byrd's "Butt Drag Swag" catch?
Kaelin Clay's punt return against the Jets?
Newton's big time runs against the Vikings and Dolphins?
All fantastic moments that are now a distant memory.
2. 2013 (12-4 record; lost in Divisional)
This season put Carolina back on the radar as a real contender to make noise in the NFC and the NFL.
Carolina started 1-3 on the year after two close losses to Seattle and Buffalo. They finished the season with an 11-1 record. I really felt that the 2013 team learned from the mistakes that haunted them in the previous two seasons under Ron Rivera's tenure.
Sadly, they weren't quite ready for the big show as they lost to the 49ers in the playoffs.That was alright though as two years later, the Panthers had one of the greatest seasons in the 21st Century.
1. 2015 (15-1 record, lost in Super Bowl)
If this Panthers won the Super Bowl, it could've gone down as one of the best teams of all time. Alas, they fell one game short of the league's most coveted prize. That being said, this season should not be forgotten in the hearts of every Carolina Panther fan.
After WR Kelvin Benjamin went down with a torn ACL in the preseason, many pundits wrote Carolina off. All they had at receiver was a castoff in Ted Ginn Jr, an undrafted 5'11 receiver (Corey Brown), Jerricho Cotchery, and then rookie Devin Funchess. Olsen was still in the mix but he couldn't do it alone.
Enter Cam Newton. He was an exciting mobile quarterback but there seemed to be another gear that he hadn't reached. In 2015, Newton became the best player in the NFL. He turned castaway receiver into viable threats. He flipped over defenders and literally became Superman. His 35 passing touchdowns in 2015 still remain his career high.
Superman still needed a defense though. Carolina is best known for having a stout defense and a powerful rushing attack. RB Jonathan Stewart finished the season with 1088 total yards of offense in the regular season. Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Kawann Short, Star Lotulelei, and Mario Addison led this front seven. Throw in veterans Charles Johnson and Jared Allen to create an iron wall.
Thieves Ave, led by breakout cornerback Josh Norman, was a unit to remember. A league-leading 24 interceptions gave the Panthers the best secondary they had this decade. Kurt Coleman came out of nowhere to have his best season as a pro. Roman Harper and Charles Tillman provided veteran leadership and stability. Robert McClain, Cortland Finnegan, and Tre Boston made plays in the secondary as well.
Despite their 15-1 record, the Cardiac Cats were alive and well. They nearly blew several leads but were able to grit out amazing wins. Although this team lost in the Super Bowl, no one will forget how incredible the Panthers were for this one special season.
My Favorite Panthers of the 2010s
Honorable Mentions
DE Julius Peppers
UNC alum Julius Peppers prime in Carolina was spent in the mid-00's so by the time he made his return to Charlotte, he was on the way out. However, I'm glad I got to witness a living legend back in the blue and black before he retired. Unfortunately, he didn't win a Super Bowl with the Bears, Packers, or Panthers but several greats don't even make the playoffs let alone a Super Bowl.
DE Kony Ealy
Lets be real, here. Ealy's tenure in Carolina was a disappointing one. However, he and WR Corey "Philly" Brown were two individuals that shined on football's biggest stage. Ealy would've likely won Super Bowl 50 MVP had Carolina won the game. He tallied an interception, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in the futile effort. He did all this despite being a rotational piece and not starting in the game. I tip my cap to Mr. Ealy for giving it all he had in the big show.
10. QB Matt Moore
Why would a career backup quarterback be on this list? Let me explain. Moore's jersey was the first one that I ever purchased and because of that, he'll always be one of my favorite quarterbacks. Wherever he has gone in the NFL, I have rooted for him. He has spent the majority of his career with the Miami Dolphins, where he filled in for an injured Ryan Tannehill and got them into the playoffs. Just this season, he filled in for Super Bowl 54 MVP Patrick Mahomes during the regular season and played admirably, throwing four touchdowns and zero interceptions in two starts. Didn't think he'd have a Super Bowl ring before Newton but that's the life of a backup.
9. Fozzy Whittaker
Fozzy was a fan favorite in Carolina. A breakout preseason paved the way for Whittaker to sneak his way on the team in 2014. He spent most of his time as a third down, change of pace back and also a kick returner. In the 2014 playoffs, he came through in the clutch, weaving past the defense for a go-ahead 39-yard touchdown reception. He also got an opportunity to play in Super Bowl 50, carrying the ball four times and grabbing one reception. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in 2018 which essentially ended his career.
8. Ted Ginn Jr.
In some ways, Ron Rivera's Panthers were like a smaller version of the Patriots, just not as successful. By that, I mean taking players that no one has heard of and making them become relevant. Insert Ted Ginn.
For the majority of his career, Ginn had been a disappointment for an individual that had been drafted in the first round. He never quite clicked at receiver in Miami and San Francisco but was able to stay in the NFL due to his return abilities. When Carolina signed the former Ohio State Buckeye, they were probably expecting some depth and a deep threat but not much else.
For some reason, he decided to excel and he really clicked in Carolina. In 2013, Ginn mixed in nicely with Steve Smith and Brandon LaFell. He added five touchdowns including a clutch game winner against the Patriots on Monday Night Football. After leaving in 2014 for the Cardinals, he wound up back in Charlotte. In his return, Ginn had his best year in 2015 where he became the #1 receiver. He caught ten touchdowns with Cam Newton and was a big reason why the Panthers were able to overcome the loss of the season-ending injury to Kelvin Benjamin.
His big issue was dropping the football and it did surface several times. That quality is the only thing holding him back from having a bigger role in the NFL. I feel like Ginn encapsulated what the 2010s were like for Carolina. A lot of fun but also frustration. From a production standpoint, he stands third in my mind behind Steve Smith and D.J. Moore at receiver.
And fans can't ever forget these calls...
"DOWN THE MIDDLE, HE'S GOT GINN WHO'S GOT SPEED"
"NEWTON FIRING...IT IS CAUGHT. ON THE RUN GINN. INSIDE THE TEN. TED GINNNN. CAROLINA. TOUCHDOWN"
Brings chills down my spine...
7. Jonathan Stewart
Stewart finished his career as Carolina's all-time leading rusher.
He was a likable, hard-nosed runner, and was very durable. Best of all, he would almost never go down at the point of contact which helped to extend many Carolina drives.
6. Steve Smith
The only reason why Smith is six on the list is that by the time Newton came around, he was on the back end of his career. He will go down as the most productive Carolina Panther of this generation.
And he added this glorious sound bite too on Monday Night Football...
5. Greg Olsen
Perhaps the greatest trade the Panthers made was to acquire Greg Olsen. Since coming to Carolina, he has been Cam Newton's most reliable target. He was the first tight end in NFL history to have three consecutive 1000 yard seasons.
He had so many memories in clutch moments for Carolina. The game winner vs Seattle? Or how about his TD catch to cap off the biggest comeback in Carolina Panthers’ history? I could go on for days about his impact on and off the field.
Hopefully fans never forget about how dominant Olsen was and a great man he turned out to be.
4. RB Christian McCaffrey
Hopefully, the Panthers are able to become a perennial contender before McCaffrey's legs run out because he is on pace to shatter all sorts of records like he already has. The stigma of a "white running back" has quickly been obliterated.
In addition to rushing for 1,000 yards, he might be Carolina's best receiver as well, catching 116 passes for 1,005 yards in 2019. He has very quickly become the new face of the Panthers with Newton and Kuechly gone.
His first name is pretty cool too if I do say so myself ;)
3. LB Thomas Davis
When I think of the mantra, "Keep Pounding," I think of two people: Sam Mills and Thomas Davis. For those that don't know Davis' story, he became the first professional athlete in ANY sport to tear his ACL three times and come back to play. Most players would've called it quits but not T.D. Former owner Jerry Richardson gave him a chance to come back and he took advantage.
Davis was the emotional leader of the defense and also won Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2014. He broke his arm in the NFC Championship game but played through the pain with seven tackles in the Super Bowl. Some players say how bad they want to win, but Thomas Davis put words into action. If any Panther deserved to hold up the Lombardi, it was the "Mayor of Charlotte."
2. Luke Kuechly
A consummate pro, Kuechly never ceased to amaze. His knowledge of the game was like no other linebacker. He was able to diagnose plays before they even happened. He was THE best linebacker of this decade and will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer despite his shortened career.
1. Cam Newton
Flashback to the 2011 NFL Draft. Who would the Panthers select with the number one overall pick? Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton? I remember my ten year old self jumping for joy as Carolina chose the Heisman winner.
Since then, Newton has been tearing up the NFL record books and putting fans in seats by his electric play. He's only thrown for over 4,000 yards once in his career (2011) and in this day and age of the NFL, that's pretty strange for a great QB. It's clear when you watch Newton, you understand that he is more than what the stats say he is.
His 2015 NFL MVP Season was the most dominate season I've witnessed up to this point. It's unfortunate that we'll likely never witness Newton in that form again. Giving footballs as part of the "Sunday Giveaway" to children became a tradition that hopefully lasts for years to come.
Cam Newton is the reason why I love football. He shaped my personality with his celebrations and enthusiastic personality.
With Newton at the helm, I always believed the Panthers had a chance to win, no matter the opponent.
This era in the 2010s essentially started with Newton and will end with Newton. The only thing missing was a Super Bowl ring...
We didn't deserve you. We let you down. Yet, you still gave us everything you had. You brought the excitement back to Charlotte. You were Charlotte's first superstar and helped put us on the map.
Thank you for everything Cam.
Comments