Before we gather around our televisions on Sunday, Feb. 9 for a Super Bowl rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, CLTtoday is strolling down memory lane, revisiting a game the Queen City and Carolina Panthers will likely never forget: when the Panthers reached the Super Bowl.
More than 111 million people tuned in for Super Bowl 50 back on Feb. 7, 2016. The fight for the Lombardi Trophy came between an elite Carolina Panthers roster vs. quarterback Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara, CA, was packed with 71,000 people ready to see an electric Halftime Show, featuring Coldplay, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars. The game was also Manning’s NFL swan song, and an all-too frustrating experience of what “almost-was” for the Panthers.
“It’s big boy stuff. Don’t sign up for pro football if you’re of the faint of heart,” said former Carolina Panther Tight End and FOX Sports analyst Greg Olsen who sat down with CLTtoday ahead of The HEARTest Yard Ungala happening at Steak48 in SouthPark.
Leading up to the Super Bowl, the Panthers had a phenomenal season, going 15-0. Along with Olsen, the roster included MVP quarterback Cam Newton, Running Back Jonathan Stewart, Linebacker Luke Kuechly, and Safety Kurt Coleman, led by former Panthers head roach Ron Rivera.
The Panthers played with high hopes the team could bring the Queen City its first ever Super Bowl victory, but the night unfortunately didn’t go Carolina’s way. A formidable Broncos defense frustrated Newton, sacking the QB six times and denied the Panthers any offensive momentum. Denver led from start to finish, despite the Panthers clinging to hope a come-from-behind victory remained possible.
And give credit where credit is due... the Carolina defense performed strong and prevented Manning from delivering a memorable final NFL performance. But a fourth quarter push by Denver sealed the Panthers’ fate, losing to the Denver Broncos 24-10.
“We played our worst game of the season on the biggest stage,” said Olsen. “But you look back on those moments and I think it reminds you just how hard it is to get there.”
Despite coming up short of a Super Bowl victory, Panthers fans revere the 2015 season to be among the best in franchise history.
“I look back on that season with a lot of pride and a lot of joy,” added Olsen. “We did some really incredible things and you think of what would be if we won that last game. We’d be looked at as, arguably, one of the best teams in NFL history.”
Nine years later, Super Bowl 50 remains the last time the Carolina Panthers reached the biggest game in sports, with an uncertain horizon on when they could return. The team hasn’t seen the NFL playoffs since 2017.
Change is, however, a running theme for Charlotte — visible through massive development projects or slews of new restaurants and businesses popping up around town. So why can’t it also be possible for the Panthers? After chatting with Olsen, this City Editor believes Panthers fans have reasons to be hopeful for what’s to come.
“I do think there is for sure a renewed optimism just around the fan base, around the organization, about the development of [Quarterback] Bryce [Young], and the job that [Head Coach] Dave Canales and his staff have done,” explained Olsen.
Until the next Super Bowl appearance is clenched, Panthers fans have to keep looking ahead, and, obviously, keep pounding.
