2017 Regular Season 15-2 Record

Lore & Background

The NFL awarded the Carolinas its 29th franchise in 1993, and the Panthers began play in 1995 under founder Jerry Richardson. They reached the NFC Championship Game in their second season. The Panthers have won seven division titles and two NFC championships, advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII after the 2003 season and Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season, losing both. The 2015 team finished 15–1, and quarterback Cam Newton was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player. In 2025, Carolina won the NFC South with an 8–9 record and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, losing 34–31 to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round.

In Their Own Story

The last snap of the regular season. Cam Newton lines up under center, helmet reflecting the stadium lights, and the snap is crisp. He drops back, the pocket collapses just enough, and he rolls right—shoulder pads catching the light as he extends his arm. The ball spirals out over a frozen sideline, and the crowd detonates. Somewhere in the stands, a father lifts his daughter above the railing, her tiny hands gripping his shoulders. The scoreboard glows: 15-2. The season is over. The playoffs are not. And in the locker room, the ice is already being loaded into the coolers, the sound of helmets clinking against metal echoing off the tile walls like a countdown.

Reader's Guide

The Panthers first competed in the 1995 NFL season; they were one of two expansion teams to begin playing that year, the other being the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Panthers were put in the NFC West to increase the size of that division to five teams. Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dom Capers was named the first head coach. The team finished its inaugural season 7–9, the best performance ever from a first-year expansion team. They performed even better in their second season, finishing with a 12–4 record and winning the NFC West division, as well as securing a first-round bye. The Panthers beat the defending Super Bowl champions Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round 26–17 before losing the NFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers 30–13.

Did You Know?

• The Panthers played their inaugural 1995 season at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina while their Charlotte stadium was under construction.
• The Panthers reached the NFC Championship Game in their second season (1996).
• The 2015 Panthers finished 15–1, and quarterback Cam Newton was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player.
• In 2025, Carolina won the NFC South with an 8–9 record and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.