Greg Olsen became target No. 1 for Cam Newton after Steve Smith was let go. The tight end would go on to make three-straight Pro Bowl appearances as he tallied 1,000 receiving yards each of those seasons. His tenure with Carolina lasted nine seasons in which he tallied 6,463 yards and 39 TDs.
In two stints with the Panthers, Muhsin Muhammad solidified himself as one of the greatest WR in franchise history. He was the receiving yards and touchdown leader in 2004, earning a first-team All-Pro selection and his second Pro Bowl selection after 1999. His performance paved the way for the Panthers to make it to Super Bowl XLVIII, where he caught an 85-yard touchdown, the longest in Super Bowl history. In 2023, he was added to the Panthers Hall of Honor.
The cornerstone of the Carolina Panthers offensive line, Ryan Kalil manned the middle and earning five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections. He was critical to their run to Super Bowl 50 as he provided excellent cover for the dual-threat style that Cam Newton deployed.
Jake Delhomme immediately set the world on fire when he came to Carolina, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2003. In that playoff run, he had 987 yards and six touchdowns. While not having the most gaudy statistics, Delhomme earned a Pro Bowl selection, and his leadership and perseverance stood out as an undrafted quarterback who spent seven seasons with the team. He is a member of the Panthers Hall of Honor.
In just three seasons, Sam Mills left an indelible impression on the Carolina Panthers and their identity. "Keep Pounding" became their mantra and it was with good reason. As a player, despite joining the team in Year 10, he would immediately explode with a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection in Year 1. He played in every game during his Carolina run and was inducted into the Panthers Hall of Honor as well.
Despite three ACL tears early in his career, Thomas Davis persevered to form one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL alongside Luke Keuchly. For five-straight years, Davis had at least 100 tackles, earning three Pro Bowl selections in the process. For the Panthers, he compiled 1,098 total tackles.
The anchor of the defense for the better part of the 2010s decade, Luke Kuechly earned seven Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro selections in his career. He led the league in tackles in 2012 and 2014, and won the DPOY award in the intermediate year. Concussions forced him into an early retirement or he could have ratcheted up far higher on this list, as he tallied 1092 total tackles and 18 interceptions during a eight year career.
Julius Peppers made an immediate impact for Carolina, winning DROY on the back of 12 sacks in his rookie year. He would total 10+ sacks another six times in the next eight years, earning five Pro Bowl and two first-team All-Pro selections in that timeframe. His best year came in 2006 when he had 13 sacks and a league-leading 18 tackles for loss. After stints in Green Bay and Chicago, he returned to the Panthers with an 11 sack season in 2017. During his time with Carolina alone, he totaled 97 sacks and 441 total tackles.
Cam Newton was high impact from Day 1 as the first overall draft pick in 2011, showcasing his dual-threat QB style. Earning a Pro Bowl in Year 1, he continued to improve, leading to an MVP award in 2015 as the Panthers made it all the way to the Super Bowl. For his career, he tallied 29,725 yards and 186 touchdowns, while adding 5,036 rushing yards and 63 TDs on the ground as well.
Starting as a returner, Steve Smith quickly morphed into a legendary wide receiver, totaling 1,100 receiving yards in 2003 in what was his breakout campaign. Two years later, he led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns with 1,563 and 12 respectively. He had three-straight 1,000-yard seasons after that, before a later career resurgence with Cam Newton that saw him compile another 1,000-yard season at 32. During his stint with the Panthers, Smith totaled 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns, earning 5 Pro Bowl and 2 first-team All-Pro selections in the process.
