Carolina Panthers History

Carolina Panthers tickets are ready to dish out hard-hitting NFL football action again this season. The Panthers have established a reputation for smash mouth football and under the leadership of John Fox, Ericsson Stadium has become one of the toughest places in the NFL for visiting teams. While Panthers ticket holders watched their team struggle to a 1-7 start last year due to a maddening wave of injuries, the Panthers rebounded in the second half of the year, falling just short of an NFL playoff berth. That kind of tenacity and resilience makes Carolina Panthers tickets one of the best deals in the NFL.

The Carolina Panthers began play in 1995, as one of the first expansion teams to join the NFL since 1976. Dom Capers, a former Pittsburgh Steelers assistant, was named the Panthers’ first head coach. Capers began with a mix of draft choices and veteran talent to create a competitive team from the outset. After a 0-5 start to their initial season, the Panthers rallied to win seven of their last 11 games to finish 7-9 in their inaugural season.

That momentum carried over to the Panthers second season, during which Capers’ squad produced a 12-win season and the franchise’s first trip to the playoffs. While the Panthers offense was solid, leaning heavily on running back Anthony Johnson and quarterback Kerry Collins, the Carolina defense and special teams were at the core of the Panthers success. The defensive squad featured a trio of Pro Bowl linebackers in Kevin Greene, Sam Mills, and Lamar Lathom, a combination that led the Panthers to an NFC Western Division title. While the defense was shutting down opposing teams, kicker John Kasey led the NFL in scoring and kick returner Michael Bates finished first in the NFL with an average of more than 30 yards per attempt. After a playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Panthers were eliminated in the NFC Championship game by the Green Bay Packers.

Panthers ticket holders waited until 2003 for their team to return to the playoffs. Head coach John Fox guided the team to an 11-5 record, capturing the NFC South Division title along the way. Quarterback Jake Delhomme and running back Stephen Davis led the Panthers to their first ever NFC Championship and an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII, where the Panthers fell victim to a last-minute field goal by the New England Patriots in a heart-breaking 32-29 loss.

In 2005, Carolina Panthers tickets promise more of the same exciting NFL action. The return of a healthy Stephen Davis and the emergence of DeShaun Foster give the Panthers the healthy running game coach John Fox prefers. Delhomme, a favorite of Panthers ticket holders, will again be under center, with wide receivers Steve Smith and Keary Colbert on the other end of his passes. As always, the Panthers feature a hard hitting defense and excellent special teams play, making Carolina Panthers tickets and Ericsson Stadium a great combination for NFL football fans.  

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