Counting down to the Carolina Panthers' season opener is a tradition that fans eagerly anticipate each year. This time around, we're shaking things up by celebrating the Top 100 Panthers of all time.
It’s a list that goes beyond jersey numbers, honoring those who've made a lasting impact on the franchise. Today, we spotlight Graham Gano, a kicker whose tenure with the Panthers was as memorable as it was unpredictable.
Gano’s journey through the NFL is a classic tale of perseverance. He began as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens, but it wasn’t until he took a detour through the UFL and a stint with Washington that he found his footing. His big break came in 2012 when he joined the Panthers, and he quickly became a fixture in Carolina.
During his time with the Panthers, Gano was known for his ability to nail long field goals, a skill that was a godsend for a team that often played it safe on offense. However, his career was also peppered with those frustrating misses from medium range, often at crucial moments. Despite these inconsistencies, Gano's knack for scoring from afar was invaluable, particularly under the conservative play-calling of Ron Rivera and Mike Shula.
The 2016 season was a low point for Gano, with a field goal success rate of just 78.6% and a few missed extra points. This performance led the Panthers to draft Harrison Butker, sparking a fierce competition. In a twist that puzzled fans, the Panthers stuck with Gano, a decision that paid off when he delivered his most accurate season yet, missing only one field goal out of 30 attempts in 2017.
Injuries, however, cut short his 2018 season and sidelined him for all of 2019. The Panthers eventually released Gano in 2020, a move that, in hindsight, seemed premature. Since then, Gano has thrived as a top-tier kicker for the Giants, while the Panthers have cycled through seven different kickers, struggling to find a reliable replacement.
Gano’s legacy with the Panthers is highlighted by unforgettable moments, like his record-setting 63-yard field goal that clinched a victory against the Giants in 2018. He ranks second in franchise history for both field goals made and total points scored, trailing only the legendary John Kasay.
For these reasons, Graham Gano earns his rightful place as number 77 on our list of the Top 100 Panthers of all time. His career is a testament to the highs and lows of being an NFL kicker, and his contributions to the Panthers are fondly remembered by fans.
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Panthers Camp Has Turned Bryce Youngs Backup Job Into A Real Fight
Training camp has turned the backup quarterback job behind Bryce Young into one of the more interesting spots on the Panthers roster, with three names in the mix and very different paths to this point. Kenny Pickett arrives as the former first-round pick and the most established of the group, while Haynes King is trying to turn camp reps into a real foothold after entering the league undrafted. Will Grier is back in the conversation too, giving Carolina a familiar face in a competition that now has at least a little intrigue.
Pickett still looks like the safest bet to handle the No. 2 role, but the Panthers have more going on than just that pecking order. Kings development gives the team a useful wild card, and Grier is hanging around as the long-shot option in a room that could get squeezed once roster decisions start tightening elsewhere. Even if the backup spot seems to have a clear front-runner, there is still enough movement here to keep the quarterback picture worth watching through the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Fans Wont Love What This Says About Monroe Freeling
Monroe Freeling arrived in Carolina with first-round expectations, but the early picture around the rookie tackle is more about patience than immediate impact. The Panthers have had him working at both tackle spots, giving him a chance to learn the full scope of the position as he settles in and adjusts to the speed of the pro game.
For now, the bigger takeaway is that Freeling looks like a long-term investment rather than a quick fix. Carolina sees him as a developmental piece who could grow into either tackle job down the line, especially with the current starters moving toward future contract decisions, but that also means fans hoping for an instant fix may need to wait. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Have A Tough QB Decision Before The Deadline
The quarterback picture in San Francisco is crowded enough that a move before the deadline is easy to imagine, even with Brock Purdy entrenched and Mac Jones sitting in a murkier spot. Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and that alone makes him one of the more watchable names on the roster if the 49ers decide to listen and a team sees a chance to get him out of the building sooner rather than later.
For Carolina, the interest is obvious enough to keep in mind whenever the Panthers' quarterback conversation comes up. If they decide Bryce Young is not the long-term answer, Jones profiles as the kind of passer a club could try to build around instead of simply patching the position for a season, which is why this is the sort of situation worth tracking as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]