Tag: Jake Delhomme

16 former Panthers named preliminary nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame

16 former Panthers, and a current assistant coach, were named amongst the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 167 preliminary nominees for the 2025 class.

Which Carolina Panthers great could be joining Julius Peppers in Canton, Ohio? Well, 16 of them will at least have a shot.

On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 167 preliminary nominees for their 2025 class. Among those listed were 16 former Panthers.

Those players are as follows:

  • QB Jake Delhomme
  • RB Stephen Davis
  • RB/WR Eric Metcalf
  • WR Muhsin Muhammad
  • WR Steve Smith Sr.
  • TE Wesley Walls
  • TE Jeremy Shockey
  • OT Jordan Gross
  • C Ryan Kalil
  • DE Jared Allen
  • LB Jessie Armstead
  • LB Luke Kuechly
  • LB Lee Woodall
  • S Eugene Robinson
  • CB Charles Tillman
  • K John Kasay

Headlining the group is Kuechly, who is now in his first year of eligibility for the honor. The 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time All-Pro spoke about the possibility of being a first-ballot Hall of Famer back in February.

“I think when you think about the Hall of Fame, it’s obviously awesome,” Kuechly said on an episode of Up & Adams. “It’s the highest honor that you can have as a football player on an individual basis. And you look at the guys that got in there at the linebacker position, the guys I grew up watching—Derrick Brooks, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis, obviously Pep got in. Those three guys that I mentioned and then Patrick [Willis]. And all of ’em were a little bit different.”

Former cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who is currently the assistant defensive backs coach for Carolina, was also one of the 167 nominees.

[lawrence-related id=691273,699732,701692]

Former Panthers QB lands job as color radio analyst for Cowboys

One of the top passers in Panthers history has landed one of the top jobs in NFL radio.

One of the top passers in Carolina Panthers history has landed one of the top jobs on the NFL’s airways.

As announced by Compass Media Networks on Wednesday, former Panthers quarterback Steve Beuerlein will now serve as the color analyst for the Dallas Cowboys National Radio Network. He’ll work alongside play-by-play commentator Kevin Ray and studio host Jerry Recco for the 2024 season.

“I am extremely excited that Compass Media Networks has extended me the opportunity to partner with Kevin Ray as part of the Dallas Cowboys National Radio broadcast team for the 2024 season,” Beuerlein said via today’s press release. “Fans know that the Cowboys are one of the most recognized and respected properties in all of professional sports and I am honored and grateful for this opportunity.”

Beuerlein, who was a backup on Dallas’ Super Bowl XXVII team in 1992, played in Carolina from 1996 to 2000. He’d turn in a few standout seasons there, finishing the as the league’s completion percentage leader in 1998 and the passing yards leader in 1999.

Over 59 total games as a Panther, Beuerlein threw for 12,690 yards and 86 touchdowns—ending his five-year stint as the franchise’s all-time leading passer. He has since been surpassed by Jake Delhomme (19,258) and Cam Newton (29,725).

[lawrence-related id=702110,699732,701692]

Panthers host record 39 team legends at Back Together Saturday

Some familiar faces were in attendance for the Panthers’ Back Together Saturday event.

The “Back Together” in Back Together Saturday meant a little bit more for the Carolina Panthers this summer.

In addition to the 90 or so active players the organization currently employs, 39 franchise legends were in attendance for this morning’s training camp practice at Bank of America Stadium. Per Vashti Hurt of Carolina Blitz, the 39 attendees are the most in the team’s history of the event.

Those former Panthers are as follows:

  • Mario Addison
  • Steve Beuerlein
  • Tre Boston
  • Corey “Philly” Brown
  • Brentson Buckner
  • Matt Campbell
  • Vinny Ciurciu
  • Stephen Davis
  • Thomas Davis
  • Jake Delhomme
  • Kevin Donnalley
  • Dwan Edwards
  • Nick Goings
  • Deveron Harper
  • Roman Harper
  • Richard Huntley
  • Charles Johnson
  • Luke Kuechly
  • Kris Mangum
  • Brett Maxie
  • Justin Medlock
  • Dan Morgan
  • Muhsin Muhammad
  • Captain Munnerlyn
  • Cleveland Pinkney
  • Ryne Robinson
  • Mike Rucker
  • Don Sasa
  • Kawann Short
  • Jonathan Stewart
  • Dwight Stone
  • Quinton Teal
  • Charles Tillman
  • Mike Tolbert
  • Al Wallace
  • Wesley Walls
  • Will Witherspoon
  • Donnell Woolford

Before getting back at Back Together Saturday, the legends met up with each other at the stadium on Friday. Addison, who played for the Panthers from 2012 to 2019, spoke about the importance of the reunion.

“We need this. We need to do this more,” Addison said, via Kassidy Hill of Panthers. “People tend to leave the league and do their own things. Life happens. You have a family, have kids, and tend to never look back. But being able to come back and see all these guys in this environment—it’s like a (family) reunion. A football reunion…we need to share the stories for the younger generation can hear how we did it and how we paved the way.”

[lawrence-related id=700169,690398,699732]

Panthers great Jake Delhomme forecasts a breakout season for Bryce Young

Jake Delhomme thinks Panthers HC Dave Canales will push Bryce Young to a breakout season.

Jake Delhomme’s path into the NFL was pretty much the polar opposite of Bryce Young’s. But the 1997 undrafted free agent probably knows a breakout when he sees one—and he sees one coming with the 2023 No. 1 overall pick.

The Carolina Panthers great and Hall of Honor member joined Tuesday’s episode of The Zach Gelb Show, where he spoke about his old team’s new man under center. And with new head coach and possible quarterback whisperer Dave Canales at the helm, Delhomme thinks Young is primed for an exciting 2024 campaign.

“I truly believe you’re gonna see what you saw with Geno Smith two years ago in Seattle, when he had that kind of resurgence of his career under Canales,” Delhomme told Gelb. “I think Baker [Mayfield] last year—Baker did a great job. Some of my notes as I look back last year when we played Tampa—is that Baker is getting the ball out quick, he’s very decisive, he’s gettin’ it out quick, he’s taking shots when he has to. But he was moving, he was getting rid of the football—and that’s something that Dave incorporates. And I believe you’re gonna see that in this offense.”

Smith’s resurgence went down in 2022, when Canales served as the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks. He threw for career-highs in yards (4,282) and touchdowns (30) while leading the entire NFL with a completion rate of 69.8 percent.

The results were very similar for Mayfield this past season, with Canales as his offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay. Baker also hit bests in passing yards (4.044), passing touchdowns (28) and completion percentage (64.3).

Fortunately, there’s essentially nowhere to go but up for Young—who averaged just 179.8 passing yards per contest with 11 touchdowns as a rookie. But how high can the former Heisman Trophy winner go?

If you believe a certain underdog quarterback, get ready to look towards the sky.

[lawrence-related id=699718,699439,698412]

Panthers 1st-round pick Xavier Legette gets his uniform number

New Panthers WR Xavier Legette got his uniform number. (And no, it’s not No. 24.)

There seemed to be a bit of confusion amongst some Carolina Panthers fans on Friday regarding the digits of their team’s new first-round pick.

At the conclusion of his introductory press conference this afternoon, last night’s 32nd overall selection Xavier Legette held up the process blue uniform for the ol’ photo op . . .

So . . uh . . . is he really going to wear that number?

No.

While actually kinda cool in an out-of-the-box kind of way for a wide receiver, the No. 24 just signifies the year we’re currently in—2024. Simple, right?

The actual uniform number would be revealed to Legette not long after the presser:

Legette wore the No. 17 at the University of South Carolina between 2019 and 2023. He finished up that five-year stay with some bulky numbers in the box score—reeling in 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns en route to a second-team All-SEC selection.

He’ll try to turn the tide for the Panthers’ 17—which has recently been worn by receivers DJ Chark, Rashard Higgins and Devin Funchess.

Oh, and some fella named Jake Delhome also had the number from 2003 to 2009.

[lawrence-related id=696070,696076,696030]

6 best free-agent signings in Panthers franchise history

They’ve never been known as big spenders in free agency, but the Panthers have found some great value on the open market in the past.

With free agency inching closer, let’s take a fond look into the past.

Here are the six best free-agent signings in Carolina Panthers history:

Best photos from Super Bowl XXXVIII

38 photos from the Panthers’ trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII

One of the greatest Super Bowls in history took place 20 years ago. But unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, it didn’t end with the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy.

As we get ready for the biggest game of the year, let’s look back at the best shots from Super Bowl XXXVIII:

Every Pro Bowl selection in Panthers franchise history

Let’s take a look back at every Pro Bowl selection in Panthers franchise history

It took a bit longer than it should’ve, but defensive tackle Derrick Brown rightfully became the latest Pro Bowler in Carolina Panthers history.

So, as we gear up for the rest of the festivities this weekend, let’s look back at Brown and every other Panther who has been selected as an all-star.

Best away photos from Panthers vs. Buccaneers rivalry

Let’s take a Tampa Bay-based trip down memory lane . . .

Before the Carolina Panthers try for their first win at Raymond James Stadium since 2019, let’s look back at some of the best Tampa Bay-based photos from this NFC South rivalry . . .

8 former Panthers named Modern-Era nominees for 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

Panthers great Julius Peppers, who is in his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, headlines the group of 173 Modern-Era nominees.

On Tuesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 173 Modern-Era nominees for their class of 2024. Among the group are eight former Carolina Panthers players—including some franchise greats and a few all-time greats.

Here are those men: