The 2025 season was the Carolina Panthers' 31st in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Dave Canales and Dan Morgan. The Panthers improved upon their 5–12 record from 2024 after an overtime win against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11. Carolina returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and won their first NFC South division title since 2015. The Panthers notably pulled off a 31–28 upset win at home against the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams in Week 13.
For the first time since 2014, linebacker Shaq Thompson was not on the roster, as he was released on February 24. With their victory on October 19, the Panthers jumped to a 4–3 record. It was the first time the team had been over .500 since 2021. The Panthers' .471 winning percentage was their best since 2017. However, losses in their final two games would seal the Panthers’ eighth consecutive losing season, finishing the regular season with a Week 18 defeat at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This loss cost the Panthers a chance to clinch the division outright. However, a victory by the Atlanta Falcons over the New Orleans Saints on the following day gave Carolina the division title anyway due to a three-way tie with head-to-head advantage.
The Panthers became the fifth team in NFL history to win a division with a losing record in a full season, joining the 2010 Seattle Seahawks, Carolina's 2014 squad, the 2020 Washington Football Team, and the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This also made Carolina the first team in NFL history to win two division titles with a losing record. Despite the turnaround season, however, their season would come to an abrupt end as the Panthers lost to the Los Angeles Rams with a score of 34–31 in the Wild Card Round. Rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award after catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and 7 scores.
The Carolina Panthers drew an average home attendance of 72,311, the 8th-highest of all NFL teams.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2025/attendance.htm
Draft
+ 2025 Carolina Panthers draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 8 Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona 2 39 Traded to the Chicago Bears 51 Nic Scourton EDGE Texas A&M From Broncos 57 Traded to the Denver Broncos From Rams 3 74 Traded to the Denver Broncos 77 Princely Umanmielen EDGE Ole Miss From Patriots 85 Traded to the New England Patriots From Broncos 4 111 Traded to the Denver Broncos 114 Trevor Etienne RB Georgia From Cowboys 122 Lathan Ransom S Ohio State From Broncos 5 140 Cam Jackson DT Florida From Giants 146 Traded to the New England Patriots 163 Mitchell Evans TE Notre Dame From Ravens 6 183 Traded to the Baltimore Ravens 208 Jimmy Horn Jr. WR Colorado From Broncos 7 226 Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs From 49ers 230 Traded to the Denver Broncos From Cardinals 247 Traded to the Dallas Cowboys
+ 2025 Carolina Panthers undrafted free agents Name Position College Ref. JaTravis Broughton CB TCU Ryan Fitzgerald K Florida State Ethan Garbers QB UCLA Jacolby George WR Miami (FL) Isaac Gifford S Nebraska Jared Harrison-Hunte DE SMU Jack Henderson S Minnesota Kobe Hudson WR UCF Luke Kandra OL Cincinnati Steven Losoya OL Vanderbilt Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams RB Michigan State Bam Martin-Scott LB South Carolina Moose Muhammad III WR Texas A&M Tuasivi Nomura LB Fresno State Bryce Pierre TE UCLA Michael Reid CB South Dakota Michael Tarquin OL Oklahoma Trevian Thomas S Arkansas State Corey Thornton CB Louisville
Draft trades
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Cleveland Browns L 10–30 0–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 at Houston Texans L 3–20 0–2 NRG Stadium Recap 3 Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–19 0–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 7 at Jacksonville Jaguars L 10–26 0–1 EverBank Stadium Recap 2 September 14 at Arizona Cardinals L 22–27 0–2 State Farm Stadium Recap 3 September 21 Atlanta Falcons W 30–0 1–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 4 September 28 at New England Patriots L 13–42 1–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 5 October 5 Miami Dolphins W 27–24 2–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap 6 October 12 Dallas Cowboys W 30–27 3–3 Bank of America Stadium Recap 7 October 19 at New York Jets W 13–6 4–3 MetLife Stadium Recap 8 October 26 Buffalo Bills L 9–40 4–4 Bank of America Stadium Recap 9 November 2 at Green Bay Packers W 16–13 5–4 Lambeau Field Recap 10 November 9 New Orleans Saints L 7–17 5–5 Bank of America Stadium Recap 11 November 16 at Atlanta Falcons W 30–27 6–5 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 12 at San Francisco 49ers L 9–20 6–6 Levi's Stadium Recap 13 November 30 Los Angeles Rams W 31–28 7–6 Bank of America Stadium Recap 14Bye 15 December 14 at New Orleans Saints L 17–20 7–7 Caesars Superdome Recap 16 December 21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 23–20 8–7 Bank of America Stadium Recap 17 December 28 Seattle Seahawks L 10–27 8–8 Bank of America Stadium Recap 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 14–16 8–9 Raymond James Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars
In the season opener, the Panthers lost to Jacksonville 10–26. They started the season 0–1 for the fourth consecutive season. The game featured a 66-minute weather delay due to lightning in the area.
Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals
After scoring just three points in the first half and entering the fourth quarter trailing 27–3, the Panthers rallied in the second half and came close to defeating Arizona. However, the potential comeback fell short when Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell sealed the game with a sack on Bryce Young. Carolina lost to Arizona 22–27 and fell to 0–2 on the season.
Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons
In the Panthers' home opener, Atlanta was first with the ball and they missed their field goal attempt. Carolina gets the ball and quarterback Bryce Young scores a touchdown. On their next possession, punt returner Trevor Etienne dropped the ball and it was recovered by Atlanta. The Falcons try for another field but missed again. In the second, Ryan Fitzgerald kicks a field goal. They go into the half with a 10–0 lead. In the third, Chau Smith-Wade intercepts a pass intended for Bijan Robinson and scores a touchdown. Towards the end of the third, Michael Penix Jr. threw another interception this time caught by cornerback Mike Jackson. In the fourth, Rico Dowdle scored a touchdown. In their next possession, Fitzgerald scored another field goal. Carolina shuts out Atlanta 30–0 and improves to 1–2. This was the Panthers' first shutout victory since the 2020 season.
Week 4: at New England Patriots
The Patriots proved to be too much for the Panthers, as the Panthers were blown out with a loss of 42–13. Carolina fell to 1–3 with the loss. This was their first loss in New England since 2009, as well as their second loss to the Patriots in five seasons.
Week 5: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Panthers rallied from a 17–0 deficit late in the second quarter, en route to beat Miami 27–24. The Panthers outgained the Dolphins on the ground 237–19. The Panthers tied a franchise record with their 17-point comeback, improving to 4–117 (including playoffs) when trailing by 17 or more. Carolina improves to 2–3.
Week 6: vs. Dallas Cowboys
In a close game with the Cowboys, where both teams were tied at the end, Ryan Fitzgerald kicked the game-winning field goal. Carolina improved to 3–3, and to .500 for the first time since the 2021 season. This win was also the Panthers first win against Dallas since 2018, snapping a 3 game losing streak.
Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, who played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 to 2024, finished the game with 239 total yards from scrimmage, setting a new franchise record for Carolina.
Week 7: at New York Jets
The Panthers were the first to score in the first quarter, with a Ryan Fitzgerald 30-yard field goal. Nick Folk of the New York Jets tied it in the second, with a field goal. Carolina took back the lead when Bryce Young passed to Xavier Legette for a 3-yard touchdown, plus the PAT. Carolina scored a field goal in the third, while the Jets did the same in the fourth. The Panthers improved to 4–3. They went above .500 for the first time since the 2021 season.
Week 8: vs. Buffalo Bills
In this game against Buffalo, the Bills beat Carolina 40–9. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 4–4.
Week 9: at Green Bay Packers
It was a scoreless first quarter for both the Panthers and Packers. In the second, Brandon McManus kicked a 49-yard field goal for Green Bay. Rico Dowdle scored a 5-yard touchdown for Carolina, plus the PAT. McManus kicked another field goal for Green Bay. Carolina went into the half with a 7–6 lead. Dowdle scored again in the third but the extra point attempt was no good. Green Bay tied it up in the fourth with a Josh Jacobs touchdown. With just one second remaining, Ryan Fitzgerald nailed a 49-yard field goal to lift the Panthers to a thrilling 16–13 victory.
Despite entering the game as two-touchdown underdogs, the Panthers pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the NFL this season. With the upset win, the Panthers improved to 5–4. This was their first win against the Packers since 2017 and their first win at Green Bay since 2008.
Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 11: at Atlanta Falcons
Carolina opened the game with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tetairoa McMillan, and Atlanta answered with a touchdown by Bijan Robinson. In the second quarter, Robinson and Tyler Allgeier each scored a touchdown for the Falcons, giving them the lead. Near the end of the half, Ryan Fitzgerald kicked a field goal for Carolina, and the Panthers entered halftime trailing 10–21. Early in the third quarter, Bryce Young threw a 36-yard touchdown to Xavier Legette, though the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. On Atlanta’s ensuing possession, the Falcons fumbled and Carolina recovered, but the Panthers failed to convert the takeaway into points. Carolina scored a field goal on their next drive, cutting the deficit to two. Atlanta responded with a field goal by Zane Gonzalez with 2:43 remaining. McMillan then scored another touchdown for Carolina, followed by a successful two-point conversion by Jalen Coker. The Falcons tied the game at 27 with 16 seconds left, sending it to overtime. For the third time this season, Fitzgerald kicked a game-winning field goal, securing a 30–27 victory for Carolina.
With their second overtime win in Atlanta, the Panthers improved to 6–5 for the first time since 2018, and swept the Falcons for the first time since 2013 season.
One week after struggling against the Saints, Bryce Young rebounded by completing 31-of-45 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns. His 448 passing yards set a new Panthers franchise record for the most passing yards in a game, surpassing the 432 yards thrown by Cam Newton against the Green Bay Packers on September 18, 2011.
Week 12: at San Francisco 49ers
The Panthers faced their former running back, Christian McCaffrey for the first time since trading him to San Francisco during the 2022 season. McCaffrey recorded 142 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, contributing to a 49ers's 20–9 victory despite quarterback Brock Purdy throwing three first-half interceptions.
Late in the game, Tre'von Moehrig struck 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings in the groin following a run play. After the game, Jennings responded by punching Moehrig in the helmet. The NFL subsequently suspended Moehrig for one game without pay, while Jennings was fined $12,172 for his actions. Carolina falls to 6–6.
Week 13: vs. Los Angeles Rams