Carolina Panthers
Franchise Overview 1995-2021 (27 seasons)

Teams Carolina Panthers History Franchise Overview

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 7–9 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. 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. 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. Since then, the team has appeared in the playoffs only once, in 2017. 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. 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. The club is worth approximately US$2.3 billion, according to Forbes.

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 7–9 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. 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. 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. Since then, the team has appeared in the playoffs only once, in 2017. 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. 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. The club is worth approximately US$2.3 billion, according to Forbes.

2016 Carolina Panthers

1995-2021 (27 seasons)

Carolina Panthers Team History

All-time franchise record

205-227 (.475)

0 championships in 2 appearances

Top Seasons

Year Record Result

2017 11-5 Lost Wild Card Game

2015 15-1 Lost Super Bowl

2013 12-4 Lost Division Championship

2008 12-4 Lost Division Championship

2003 11-5 Lost Super Bowl

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Last 5 Seasons

Year Record Result

2021 5-12 Missed Playoffs

2020 5-11 Missed Playoffs

2019 5-11 Missed Playoffs

2018 7-9 Missed Playoffs

2017 11-5 Lost Wild Card Game

View All Panthers Seasons

1st Round Draft Picks

Year Rd/Pick Player

2021 1 / 8 Jaycee Horn DB

2020 1 / 7 Derrick Brown DT

2019 1 / 16 Brian Burns DE

2018 1 / 24 D. J. Moore WR

2017 1 / 8 Christian McCaffrey RB

View All Panthers Draft Picks

Longest Serving GM's

Tenure Years General Manager

2002-20 15 Marty Hurney

2013-16 4 Dave Gettleman

1999-01 3 George Seifert

1995-97 3 Bill Polian

1998 1 Dom Capers

View All Panthers General Managers

Team Owners

Tenure Years Owner

2018-21 4 David Tepper

1995-17 23 Jerry Richardson

View All Panthers Owners

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F i l t e r & S o r t

Carolina Panthers Media Guidepublication

Carolina Panthers Media Guide

30 issues 1995-2024

This media guide is a comprehensive resource created by the team to provide detailed information about its players, coaches, history,...