1996 Carolina Panthers season
1996 Carolina Panthers season | |
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Owner | Jerry Richardson |
Head coach | Dom Capers |
General manager | Bill Polian |
Home field | Ericsson Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 12–4 |
Division place | 1st NFC West |
Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 26–17 Lost Conference Championship (Packers) 30–13 |
Pro Bowlers | TE Wesley Walls QB Kerry Collins WR Michael Bates LB Sam Mills LB Kevin Greene LB Lamar Lathon CB Eric Davis K John Kasay |
The 1996 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 2nd season in the National Football League and the 2nd under head coach Dom Capers. They improved upon their 7–9 record in 1995, and made it to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Panthers would be a huge surprise, as it would turn out, as the Panthers won their last seven games of the season[1] to finish the season with a 12–4 record. The result was that the Panthers won the NFC West, and had a first round bye in the 1996 NFL Playoffs. The Panthers would then beat the Dallas Cowboys 26–17 before falling 30–13 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.
The Panthers did not return to the playoffs until 2003, when they would make their first Super Bowl but lost 29-32 to the New England Patriots.
Offseason
Unrestricted free agents signed:
- QB Steve Beuerlein Jacksonville
- LB Duane Bickett Seattle
- CB Eric Davis San Francisco
- LB Kevin Greene Pittsburgh
- T Greg Skrepenak Oakland
- TE Wesley Walls New Orleans
Unrestricted free agents lost:
- RB Derrick Moore Detroit
- DE Shawn Price (Restricted Free Agent) Buffalo
- QB Frank Reich New York Jets
- CB Rod Smith Minnesota
NFL Draft
1996 Carolina Panthers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 | Tim Biakabutuka | Running back | Michigan | |
2 | 43 | Muhsin Muhammad * | Wide receiver | Michigan State | |
3 | 73 | Winslow Oliver | Running back | New Mexico | |
3 | 88 | J. C. Price | Defensive tackle | Virginia Tech | |
4 | 104 | Norberto Davidds-Garrido | Offensive tackle | USC | |
4 | 111 | Emmanuel McDaniel | Cornerback | East Carolina | |
5 | 142 | Marquette Smith | Running back | Central Florida | |
6 | 193 | Scott Greene | Running back | Michigan State | |
7 | 217 | Donnell Baker | Wide receiver | Southern | |
7 | 234 | Kerry Hicks | Defensive end | Colorado | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Personnel
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Roster
Schedule
Regular season
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 1 | Atlanta Falcons | W 29–6 | 1–0 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
2 | September 8 | at New Orleans Saints | W 22–20 | 2–0 | Louisiana Superdome | Recap |
3 | Bye | |||||
4 | September 22 | San Francisco 49ers | W 23–7 | 3–0 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
5 | September 29 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 14–24 | 3–1 | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | Recap |
6 | October 6 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 12–14 | 3–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Recap |
7 | October 13 | St. Louis Rams | W 45–13 | 4–2 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
8 | October 20 | New Orleans Saints | W 19–7 | 5–2 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
9 | October 27 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 9–20 | 5–3 | Veterans Stadium | Recap |
10 | November 3 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 17–20 | 5–4 | Georgia Dome | Recap |
11 | November 10 | New York Giants | W 27–17 | 6–4 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
12 | November 17 | at St. Louis Rams | W 20–10 | 7–4 | Trans World Dome | Recap |
13 | November 24 | at Houston Oilers | W 31–6 | 8–4 | Astrodome | Recap |
14 | December 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 24–0 | 9–4 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
15 | December 8 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 30–24 | 10–4 | 3Com Park | Recap |
16 | December 15 | Baltimore Ravens | W 27–16 | 11–4 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
17 | December 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 18–14 | 12–4 | Ericsson Stadium | Recap |
Standings
NFC West | |||||||
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Franchise | |||||||
Stadiums | |||||||
Culture and lore | |||||||
Rivalries | |||||||
Hall of Honor | |||||||
Wild card berths (2) | |||||||
Division championships (6) | |||||||
Conference championships (2) | |||||||
Retired numbers | |||||||
Media |
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Current league affiliations |
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Seasons (26) |