2003 Super Bowl XXXVIII Appearance

Lore & Background

The Panthers were founded in 1993 and joined the NFL as an expansion team. Their inaugural season was in 1995, playing as members of the NFC West. Dom Capers was the first head coach. In their second season, they won the NFC West and reached the NFC Championship game, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. John Fox was hired as head coach in 2002. In 2003, the Panthers won the NFC South division title and reached Super Bowl XXXVIII.

In Their Own Story

The humidity of Houston clung to the sidelines as John Fox paced the sideline, his eyes locked on the scoreboard. Inside the locker room, Jake Delhomme wiped sweat from his brow, staring at the black and blue jerseys that carried so much hope for a city hungry for glory. The roar of the crowd faded into a dull hum, replaced by the heavy silence of a dream deferred. Yet, amidst the disappointment, there was pride—a testament to how far they had come since their first Super Bowl run.

Reader's Guide

The team's home field and headquarters is Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte. They played their first season (1995) at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, and have played home games in Charlotte since 1996.

Did You Know?

• The Panthers recorded a 7–9 record in their first season, the best record for an expansion team in NFL history.
• In 2015, the Panthers finished with a league-best 15–1 regular season record and reached Super Bowl 50.
• The Panthers returned to the playoffs in the 2025 season after winning the NFC South with an 8–9 record.