Latest Panthers News November 2023
- 📆 Nov. 27: The Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after a 1-10 record.
- 📆 Nov. 15: Reich relieves offensive coordinator Thomas Brown from playcalling duties and assumes them himself.
- 📆 Oct. 29: The Panthers get their first win of the season in Week 8 vs. the Texans.
- 📆 Oct. 16: The Panthers announce that offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will be calling the offensive plays from this point forward, relieving Reich of the duties.
- 📆 Sept. 24: The Panthers drop to 0-3 to start the season as they prepare to enter one of their most historically challenging months.
- 📆 July 26: The Panthers name rookie Bryce Young as their newest starting QB.
- 📆 April 27-29: The Panthers select Alabama QB Bryce Young with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Other draft picks include WR Jonathan Mingo (Round 2), LB D.J. Johnson (Round 3), OG Chandler Zavala (Round 4), and S Jammie Robinson (Round 5).
- 📆 March 10: The Panthers trade the No. 9 and No. 61 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, as well as 2024 and 2025 picks, and WR D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the first overall pick.
Carolina Panthers 2023-2024 Odds
Expectations for the Carolina Panthers 2023 season need to be tempered after six straight losing seasons and a complete overhaul of their coaching staff and roster. Accordingly, many North Carolina sportsbooks have low implied probabilities of winning the NFC South division, NFC, and Super Bowl.
Currently, the Panthers Super Bowl odds are the longest in the NFL.
2023 Panthers Team Projections
The rebuilding 2023 Carolina Panthers enter the regular season with very modest expectations. Their best path to making the playoffs is to with their own division, the NFC South. Currently, they have an implied probability of winning the NFC South under 1%, and the Panthers playoff chances are an implied probability under 4%. Consequently, they are now tied for the longest odds to win the NFC Championship (+100000) and the Super Bowl (+100000).
Suffice to say, fans of the Panthers should have their expectations tempered for the 2023 NFL season.
Carolina Panthers Schedule 2023
📲 MORE: Latest ESPN BET North Carolina Sportsbook Odds for Panthers
How to Watch the Carolina Panthers
The 2023 NFL season will feature games across several broadcast and streaming outlets. CBS will air most Sunday afternoon games involving AFC teams, while FOX will carry most of the NFC matchups in those time slots.
Sunday Night Football returns to NBC and its streaming platform Peacock. Monday Night Football remains on ESPN this season. The exclusive streaming rights for Thursday Night Football now belong to Amazon Prime Video.
If out of the broadcast area, Carolina Panthers fans will need to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket to watch non-primetime Panthers games. YouTube TV is now the only way to access NFL Sunday Ticket.
Some North Carolina sportsbook apps may have local Panthers games available to stream as well once they launch.
How to Get Carolina Panthers Tickets
The most direct method is to purchase tickets to Carolina Panthers games is through the team's official website and their Official Ticket Marketplace, Ticketmaster. Fans can browse available seats for upcoming games at Bank of America Stadium and purchase online.
Another option is to visit an online ticket resale marketplace like VividSeats or StubHub. These sites allow fans to shop for previously purchased tickets being resold by other individuals.
Memberships and packages are also available through the Panthers Ticketing office for season tickets or multi-game deals.
Carolina Panthers Stadium
Carolina Panthers home games take place in one of the best venues in the NFL: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. With a capacity of over 75,000, the open-air stadium was specifically designed for NFL games.
Opened in 1996, Bank of America Stadium has undergone many renovations since 2014 to enhance the fan experience. Upgrades have included: new escalators to whisk fans to upper levels, new video scoreboard, and refinements to suites. Additional improvements have focused on concourse amenities, such as LED lighting, digital signage and menu boards.
⭐️ MORE: Where Does Bank of America Stadium Rank When It Comes to Betting Overs?
Get to Know the Carolina Panthers Team
The Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1993 and played their first season in 1995, highlighted by their defeat of the reigning Super Bowl champs San Francisco 49ers.
Since their inaugural season, the Panthers have won 6 division titles, made 8 playoff appearances, reached 2 Super Bowls in 2004 and 2016, and enjoyed a 5-year stretch from 2013-2017 where they tied for the most playoff berths in the NFC.
With coach Ron Rivera from 2011-2019, the Panthers had their most successful period as a franchise, recording 51 wins from 2013-2017, the most in any 5-year span for the team. The team was led by head coach Frank Reich, who was also the franchise's first-ever starting quarterback, through 11 games. However, Reich was fired after Week 12 with a 1-10 record. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor takes over as the interim head coach.
Tabor is now tasked with developing their No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Bryce Young, into the next great NFL passer.
🔥 MORE: Latest Bryce Young Odds
2023 Carolina Panthers General Manager & Head Coach
Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer joined the franchise as general manager in 2021 after spending the previous two decades with the Seattle Seahawks organization. He started in Seattle as an area scout in 2001 and eventually became the co-director of player personnel by 2015, helping build a Seahawks team that went to two Super Bowls and won one championship. During his time in Seattle, the team compiled a regular season record of 146-130-1.
As Panthers GM, Fitterer engineered a blockbuster 2021 trade to acquire Jets QB Sam Darnold and also selected CB Jaycee Horn in the first round. His most notable moves in the last year include trading away RB Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers for multiple draft picks, and trading WR D.J. Moore and draft picks to acquire the No. 1 overall pick, which was used on QB Bryce Young.
He is also responsible for being on the head coach search committee that hired Frank Reich as head coach. Reich spent the previous four seasons as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-2021. As Colts head coach, Reich led the team to a 40-33-1 regular season record and two playoff appearances.
After Week 12, the Panthers fired Reich, replacing him with interim head coach Chris Tabor, who was serving as special teams coordinator under Reich. Before joining Carolina, Tabor coached special teams for the Bears and Browns.
📊 MORE: Ranking Top All-Time Panthers Draft Picks
2023 Carolina Panthers Offense
Despite tempered expectations, fans have high hopes for a better offense for the 2023 NFL season. For the first time in franchise history, the Carolina Panthers hired a head coach in Frank Reich whose primary coaching experience has been on the offensive side of the ball. He has surrounded himself with other highly-regard offensive minds in offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, running backs coach Duce Staley, offensive assistant Jim Caldwell, and QB coach Josh McCown.
They will need to rely on their wisdom and expertise to support a completely re-tooled offense. Rookie QB Bryce Young will need build a rapport with weapons who are brand new to the team.
Luckily, the Panthers return the same, highly regarded offensive line starters from last year: Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen, Bradley Bozeman, Austin Corbett, and Taylor Moton.
🎁 MORE: North Carolina Sportsbook Promos
2023 Carolina Panthers Defense
The Panthers paid big money to get their defense led by one of the top coordinators last year, Ejiro Evero. He comes from the Denver Broncos, along with defensive senior assistant Dom Capers, who was the first-ever head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
They inherit a defense that played very well last year. They are led some of the top players at their position: DL Derrick Brown, OLB Brian Burns, and CB Jaycee Horn. This unit has an exciting mix of talent and experience that should be able to limit opposing offenses with a new 3-4 base defense.
Carolina Panthers Roster
With a brand new coaching staff hired in the 2023 NFL offseason, the Carolina Panthers naturally overhauled the roster.
The offense is led by No. 1 overall pick, QB Bryce Young, whose primary weapons are all brand new to the team: RB Miles Sanders, WRs Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, Jonathan Mingo, and TE Hayden Hurst.
The defense returns the team's most talented players last year: OLB Brian Burns, DL Derrick Brown, and CB Jaycee Horn.
Quarterbacks
Another season brings about another new starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers: rookie Bryce Young. Since Cam Newton was released in 2020, the Panthers have had a new starting quarterback each year: Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield. The hope is that Young ends the quarterback carousel.
Young could not have asked for a better mentor and backup QB in Andy Dalton, who will be tasked with teaching Young the ropes in the NFL. After playing nine seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and leading them to the playoffs five season, Dalton has since bounced around to the Cowboys, Bears, and Saints. He was the Saints starting QB last season, but decided to sign with the Panthers for the possibility of starting while also grooming the next long-term quarterback for Carolina.
⭐️ MORE: Where Panthers’ Andy Dalton Ranks Among NFL Backup QBs
Running Backs
Chuba Hubbard joined the Panthers as a fourth-round pick in 2021 after a prolific career at Oklahoma State. As a rookie, he served as the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey, rushing for over 500 yards in 10 starts when McCaffrey was injured. In 2022, Hubbard totaled 678 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.
RB Miles Sanders was drafted by the Eagles in 2019 after a standout college career at Penn State. As a rookie, Sanders rushed for 818 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding 50 catches for 509 receiving yards and 3 more scores, earning him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Over the next three seasons from 2020-2022, Sanders remained the lead back for the Eagles, topping 750 rushing yards each year and scoring a career-high 9 touchdowns in 2021.
Known for his quick cutting ability and receiving skills out of the backfield, Sanders helped the Eagles reach the playoffs in each of his four seasons with the team. His best year came in 2022 when he ran for over 1,200 yards in 15 games and went on to win Super Bowl LVII with Philadelphia. Sanders signed a one-year deal with the Panthers for the 2023 season.
Raheem Blackshear entered the league in 2022 as an undrafted free agent from Virginia Tech, with the Panthers signing him away from the Bills practice squad. Blackshear flashed his speed and pass-catching ability out of the backfield for the Panthers as a rookie, compiling 168 rushing yards, 223 receiving yards, and 2 total touchdowns despite limited touches.
Wide Receivers & Tight Ends
The Panthers wide receiver room features a mix of veterans and young talent. Adam Thielen was signed by the Panthers in the 2023 offseason after 8 highly productive seasons in Minnesota with over 5,000 yards and 2 Pro Bowls. D.J. Chark was also signed in the offseason, as he looks to resuscitate his career in Carolina after showing promise with 1,000 yards as a Jaguars rookie.
Rookie Jonathan Mingo will aim for a larger role to use his speed and physicality to advance the offense. The Panthers traded for Laviska Shenault last season after topping 600 yards in 2021 with the Jaguars. Lastly, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, acquired via trade right before "cut day," had his promising Vikings rookie campaign cut short by injury in 2022.
The tight end group looks nearly identical to last season, with the exception of free agent acquisition Hayden Hurst. Hurst will be the primary pass catcher after posting over 1,700 yards and 14 receiving TDs over five seasons.
Ian Thomas has been with Carolina since 2018 and had his best production as a receiver in 2021, but has been used primarily as a blocking tight end ever since. Tommy Tremble flashed as a run blocker as a rookie in 2021 and will look for a bigger pass-catching role.
Offensive Line
The Panthers offensive line is led by 2023 team captain Taylor Moton. Moton has been a fixture at right tackle for five seasons after being drafted by Carolina in 2017 and signing a four-year extension in 2021. His bookend is left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, Carolina's first-round pick in 2022 who started 16 games at left tackle last year as a rookie. He is joined on the left side by his college teammate at North Carolina State, rookie left guard Chandler Zavala.
Center Bradley Bozeman is the leader at center after beginning last season as backup, but finishing the starter and re-signing with the Panthers this past season. The last member of the starting unit is Cade Mays, drafted in the 6th round last year.
This group is backed up by position-flexible linemen who are mostly promising but inexperienced. Ricky Lee joined Carolina as an undrafted free agent in 2022 but has mostly been on the team's practice squad. Nash Jensen, an undrafted free agent, has impressed so much that he nabbed a spot on the 53-man active roster after cut day. Calvin Throckmorton has played multiple positions over 24 games with the Saints since 2020. David Sharpe is the veteran of the group, playing 39 games with 19 starts over 5 seasons.
Defensive Line
Derrick Brown anchors the Panthers defensive line after being drafted No. 7 overall by Carolina in 2020. The disruptive DT has started every game in his three seasons, tallying 177 tackles and 10.5 sacks. Shy Tuttle joined the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and emerged as a solid rotational DT, compiling 80 tackles and 2 sacks over four seasons.
DeShawn Williams was signed in 2021 and has added depth to Carolina's defensive line rotation, recording 36 tackles and 2 sacks in two years with the team. Brown is the standout as a penetrating interior force, while Tuttle and Williams provide valuable veteran presence to round out the defensive tackle group. Together they account for a significant portion of Carolina's interior pass rush and run stopping up the middle.
LaBryan Ray and Nick Thurman are young defensive linemen looking to secure roles in the Panthers' defensive line rotation. Ray had a productive career at Alabama but missed his entire rookie season with the Eagles in 2022 due to injury. Both Ray and Thurman will compete for backup snaps behind Brown and Tuttle. The Panthers are looking for Ray and Thurman to emerge as reliable depth pieces along the interior defensive line.
Outside Linebackers
Brian Burns has become a cornerstone of the Panthers defense since being drafted 16th overall in 2019. In four seasons, he's tallied 29.5 sacks, including 9 last year, while forcing 7 fumbles and emerging as a team leader. Veteran Justin Houston signed with Carolina in 2022 after accumulating 102 career sacks over 10 years. At age 33, Houston showed he still has playmaking abilities by registering 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles with the Panthers. Burns is a blossoming young star while Houston provides seasoned veteran production off the edge. Together, they form a potent outside linebacker duo that accounted for nearly half of Carolina's sacks last season.
Yetur Gross-Matos, DJ Johnson, and Amare Barno make up the young depth at outside linebacker. Gross-Matos was drafted by Carolina in the 2nd round in 2020 and has 6 career sacks over 29 games. DJ Johnson joined the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and appeared in 15 games last season, recording 16 tackles. Barno was drafted in 2022 and showed promise as a developmental pass rusher. Gross-Matos will look to take a step forward and carve out a larger role in the rotation. Johnson and Barno have upside upside as they aim to establish themselves as reliable depth pieces.
Inside Linebackers
Frankie Luvu has been a key contributor for the Panthers at inside linebacker after signing with the team in 2021. In two years, Luvu has compiled 159 tackles, 8 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles while starting 29 games. Kamu Grugier-Hill arrived in Carolina last season, making an immediate impact for the defense and setting career highs across the board with 108 tackles, 4 sacks, and 3 interceptions in 16 starts. Luvu and Grugier-Hill quickly formed one of the more productive inside linebacker duos in the NFL last season, combining for over 250 tackles and playing nearly every defensive snap. With their hard-nosed styles and playmaking abilities, they figure to anchor the second level of the Panthers defense again in 2023.
Chandler Wooten and Claudin Cherelus are young linebackers seeking to establish themselves on the Panthers' defense. Wooten joined Carolina as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after a standout career at Auburn. Cherelus was signed by the Panthers in 2023 after playing at Boston College. An athletic and instinctive linebacker, Cherelus will look to impress in training camp and contend for a backup role.
With the starters entrenched, Wooten and Cherelus will have their work cut out for them to earn snaps. But their athleticism could be assets on special teams. Both aim to develop into reliable depth pieces at inside linebacker behind the Panthers' productive veteran duo.
Cornerbacks
C.J. Henderson was drafted 9th overall by Jacksonville in 2020 and has flashed lockdown coverage skills when healthy, totaling 4 interceptions in three seasons. Donte Jackson was Carolina's 2nd round pick in 2018, tallying 8 interceptions and 28 passes defended in five years with the team. Jeremy Chinn moved from safety to slot corner in 2022 and thrived, showcasing his versatility while notching 195 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 picks over his first two seasons.
Henderson and Jackson form a talented perimeter corner duo while Chinn's flexibility to cover receivers and defend the run bolsters the defensive backfield. All three young defensive backs look to build on promising starts to their careers as they seek to improve Carolina's pass defense.
The Panthers have added veteran depth and rookie potential to support their top three cornerbacks. Troy Hill joined Carolina after six seasons spent primarily in slot and nickel roles, tallying 8 interceptions and 326 tackles. Sam Webb and D'Shawn Jamison were drafted in 2022, both seeing limited time as rookies. Hill provides experience in sub packages behind the talented starting trio.
Meanwhile, Webb and Jamison will aim to prove themselves as viable depth options and special teamers in their second seasons. This blend of veteran savvy and young talent rounds out the cornerback room for the Panthers.
Safeties
Xavier Woods brings versatility to the Panthers secondary after accumulating 330 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 23 passes defended over five seasons. Vonn Bell came over last season after four years as a hard-hitting safety and defensive leader for the Bengals. In his first season in Carolina, Bell notched a career-high 3 interceptions while starting 15 games.
Together, Woods and Bell give the Panthers a pair of experienced, playmaking safeties to anchor the back end of the defense. Woods boasts the coverage skills to play deep or in the slot while Bell is at his best as an instinctive box safety. After both set career highs in interceptions last season, Woods and Bell look to provide stability alongside Jeremy Chinn in Carolina's revamped secondary.
Jammie Robinson and Sam Franklin Jr. are emerging talents providing depth behind the starters. Robinson was selected in 2022 and made an immediate impact as a rookie, notching 91 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 passes defended while playing significant snaps. Franklin was taken in 2020 and has steadily contributed when called upon, compiling 41 tackles over three seasons.
Robinson's promising development gives Carolina valuable versatility and playmaking ability in sub packages. Franklin's experience and special teams ability provide important depth. Together, they give the Panthers a pair of young, ascending safeties who are capable of stepping into larger roles if needed behind the veteran starters in the rebuilt secondary.
Special Teams
Eddy Piniero joined Carolina in 2022 and stabilized the kicking game, converting 23 of 27 field goals in his first season with the team. Johnny Hekker has been one of the NFL's premier punters since entering the league in 2012, earning 4 First-Team All-Pro selections before joining the Panthers last year. J.J. Jansen has been a model of consistency for Carolina, playing every game since 2009 as the Panthers' long snapper.
Piniero and Hekker bring veteran excellence on kicks and punts. Jansen continues to anchor field goals and punts with flawless snaps, while Raheem Blackshear adds game-breaking potential on special teams.
Blackshear made the team as an undrafted free agent last season and emerged as a threat on returns, averaging nearly 11 yards per punt return. This group forms a dependable and versatile specialist unit for the Panthers.
What to Expect this Season
The Carolina Panthers have all the right pieces for to be a playoff contender, but it may take some time for them to reach their full potential. With a brand new coaching staff leading a rookie quarterback, brand new offense, and a brand new defensive scheme, what this franchise needs more than anything is time for players to develop and learn the systems for prolonged, sustainable success.
Rational fans should expect another losing season, but feel excited about what the future will hold with an all-star staff and No. 1 overall rookie quarterback.
Carolina Panthers FAQs
Although they are the Panthers represent both North Carolina and South Carolina, their home games are hosted at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ever since the Panthers' inception, they have held their offseason training camps at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The Carolina Panthers stadium is located in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, at 800 South Mint Street. Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers home stadium, is located on 33 acres of land in the Third Ward district of the city and was designed specifically for football.
The Panthers' starting quarterback is Bryce Young, who was the No. 1 overall pick for Carolina in the 2023 NFL Draft. Young, currently a rookie, won the 2021 Heisman Trophy in his first year as the starting QB for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Arguably, the most popular current Carolina Panthers players are rookie quarterback Bryce Young and outside linebacker Brian Burns. They also have an illustrious history of very popular players, including QB Cam Newton, LB Luke Kuechly, WR Steve Smith, Sr., DE Julius Peppers, TE Greg Olsen, and LB Sam Mills.
The Panthers are currently 0-3 after opening the 2023 NFL season with back-to-back losses to NFC South division rivals Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. They most recently lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. Their all-time record is 209-223-1, good for a .484 win percentage.
The Carolina Panthers are owned by David Tepper, a billionaire businessman and hedge fund manager. Tepper has accumulated a personal net worth estimated at $16.7 billion, making him one of the wealthiest NFL owners. Tepper purchased the Panthers in 2018 for a reported $2.2 billion, the most expensive sale ever for an NFL team at the time.
Non-primetime Panthers games are broadcasted nationally on CBS or FOX, depending on which conference the home team is in. For their primetime games on Monday Night and Thursday Night Football, they can be watched on ESPN and Prime Video, respectively.
No, the Carolina Panthers have not won a Super Bowl. They are one of 12 NFL teams to have zero Super Bowl wins. They have been to the Super Bowl twice, in 2005 and 2016. They lost to the New England Patriots in '05 and to the Denver Broncos in '16.
Author
Edgar Salmingo, Jr. is a lifelong Carolina Panthers fan residing in Los Angeles. He has written extensively about the Panthers for major outlets including USA Today SMG and SB Nation. His Panthers analysis has also been featured on radio shows such as WFNZ and FOX Sports Radio, as well as numerous Panthers podcasts. He currently freelances and you can find his work on Twitter/X.
