Twenty years ago, this fall, the Carolina Panthers embarked on a journey to the franchise's first ever Super Bowl - Super Bowl XXXVIII. When training camp began in July of 2003, Panther fans were daydreaming about an unlikely return to the playoffs, and the coaching staff was struggling to name a starting quarterback. ... more
In their 9th season of existence, the Carolina Panthers had reached the doorstep of football El Dorado – the Super Bowl. The Cardiac Cats ultimately came up one heartbeat short. There would be no name engraved on the Lombardi Trophy. Instead – the Panthers etched their names in the hearts a city and its fans.See omnyst... more
The Carolina Panthers journey to the 2003 NFC Championship was a roller coaster ride. It was a season defined by four overtime wins, late game comebacks, personal hardships, soul-defining moments and at times improbable saviors. But belief never blinked in the face of adversity. Hope always floated.See omnystudio.com/l... more
The Cardiac Cats carried their heartbeat into January. Carolina won the NFC South and returned to the postseason for the first time in seven years. The Panthers opened the postseason by smashing through Dallas’ top ranked defense in a 29-10 home win. For the divisional round – Carolina hit the road to face St. Louis – ... more
The Cardiac Cats carried their heartbeat into January. Carolina won the NFC South and returned to the postseason for the first time in seven years. The Panthers opened the postseason by smashing through Dallas’ top ranked defense in a 29-10 home win. For the divisional round – Carolina hit the road to face St. Louis – ... more
The Carolina Panthers missed multiple chances to clinch the division during the 2003 regular season, but they finally secured a division title with a road win at Arizona in week 15. The Panthers would claim the #3 seed in the NFC playoffs and host the Cowboys in the wild card round on January 3rd, 2004. But what took p... more
The Carolina Panthers entered the homestretch of the 2003 regular season eyeing the #1 seed in the NFC. At 8-2 Carolina boasted the best record in the conference, but a late season swoon doomed any designs of homefield advantage for Jake Delhomme and the Panthers. As the Panthers boarded their cross country flight for ... more
Through the first 10 weeks of the 2003 NFL season, the Carolina Panthers were sitting atop the NFC standings with a 7-2 record. In week 11, the Panthers were well on their way to sweeping the defending Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers when the Carolina Prowler appeared on the jumbotron and swung the momentum in Tampa's f... more
Two seasons removed from a 1-15 campaign, the Carolina Panthers opened the season with two heart-pulsing wins. Jake Delhomme came off the bench to spark a 4th quarter comeback in Week one. In week two, Carolina blocked three kicks in an overtime road win against the defending Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ... more
The Carolina Panthers opened the 2003 season with a rousing comeback win against the Jaguars. Jake Delhomme came off the bench to spark the rally… and firmly entrenched himself as the new #1 QB. But Week 2 presented its own challenge… a trip to Tampa to face defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers. It was one of those... more
When Jake Delhomme first arrived in Carolina, his teammates knew little about him, no one wanted his autograph, and no one expected much. One game into the 2003 regular season, all that changed. Relive the moment Jake Delhomme became a franchise QB and the moment Carolina Panthers became the Cardiac Cats.See omnystudio... more
The Carolina Panthers unlikely and improbable run to Super Bowl XXXVIII began with the hiring of a certain head coach, who preached about grit and mental toughness, and a roster of talented young men that were eager to lay the foundation of a championship caliber football team. Before the highest of highs in 2003 ... t... more