Happy Fourth of July, folks! Now, let’s celebrate the red, white and blue with a little black, white and process blue.
Here—based on which players have put forth the most productive, successful and impactful careers in franchise history—is our Mount Rushmore for the Carolina Panthers.
Worth a mention, but comfortably out of the conversation
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QB Jake Delhomme: The Ragin’ Cajun has been responsible for some of the team’s most fun (and successful) times.
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LS JJ Jansen: Yeah, yeah. . . we know. But he’s played the most games in franchise history, and that’s worthy of a shoutout.
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OT Jordan Gross: A three-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro and a Carolina lifer.
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WR Muhsin Muhammad: Mooooooose! The organization’s second-leading receiver is highly respected around these parts.
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TE Greg Olsen: One of the most beloved Panthers of all-time, the three-time Pro Bowler brings back some fond memories of a much simpler time.
Just missed the cut
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LB Thomas Davis: TD’s 14-year tenure in Charlotte was something out of a Hollywood script. From three ACL tears to three Pro Bowls and three division titles, the franchise’s lone Walter Payton Man of the Year treated us to a beautiful ride.
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LB Sam Mills: Keeping Mills off our Rushmore was incredibly painful. He’s the genesis of the franchise’s “Keep Pounding” mantra, he feels like the first real Panther inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he has a whole damn statue outside Bank of America Stadium. But if we’re judging this based on the four best and most impactful players in team history, Mills’ three-year stint doesn’t hold up.
Our picks
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DE Julius Peppers: The Wilson, NC native, Southern Nash Firebird and University of North Carolina two-sport star is a hometown hero. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that he chalked up 97.0 of his 159.5 sacks—the fifth-most in NFL history—during his insanely decorated decade for the Panthers.
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QB Cam Newton: Cam is the most valuable player this organization has ever seen. He is their first No. 1 overall pick, first (actual) MVP and first Offensive Player of the Year. And before this spring, he was the first and lone Panther to lay claim to that entire triple crown.
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WR Steve Smith Sr.: Speaking of triple crowns, Smitty’s 2005 campaign was one of many incredible heights in this pound-for-pound champ’s career. Not only is he Carolina’s all-time leading receiver, but he may very well be the next Panther to grace the halls over in Canton.
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LB Luke Kuechly: And speaking of Hall of Famers, there’s no doubt the career of this Cincinnati boy will find a home a little more eastward. His eight NFL seasons—all of which came out of Charlotte—resulted in seven Pro Bowl selections, five First-team All-Pro nods, an AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award and the franchise’s only Defensive Player of the Year award.
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Story originally appeared on Panthers Wire