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	Carolina Panthers



On October 26, 1993, NFL owners unanimously selected Carolina as the 29th NFL franchise and the first expansion team since 1976. Fireworks exploded over uptown Charlotte as jubilant fans gathered to celebrate the news. "This is a dream come true for me and my partners and for the 10 million people in the Carolinas," said Carolina Panthers Owner/Founder Jerry Richardson, who became just the second former player to own an NFL team along with George Halas of the Chicago Bears. The "dream" began on July 16, 1987 when Richardson met in Charlotte with a group of interested parties to discuss the feasibility of entering the multi-city competition for two NFL expansion franchises. One of the first orders of business was to choose a stadium site. On December 15, 1989, Richardson Sports selected a site in uptown Charlotte as the future home of a privately financed NFL stadium that would seat more than 70,000 fans. Jesse Helms of North Carolina and Ernest Hollings of South Carolina lobbied NFL owners on the Carolinas behalf. At the League owners meeting on March 18, 1992, the NFL reduced the list of expansion candidate cities from eleven to seven with the Carolinas making the cut. Two months later, the NFL narrowed the list of expansion hopefuls to five communities -- Baltimore, St. Louis, Memphis, Jacksonville and the Carolinas. However, on October 20, 1992, NFL owners decided to delay the expansion vote until the fall of 1993 because of a labor dispute between the League and the players. On June 3, Richardson Sports revealed its impressive plan to privately finance a 72,300-seat stadium from the sale of Permanent Seat Licenses, club seats and luxury boxes, beginning on July 1. A remarkable 15,000 pieces of mail from first-day orders were collected. In their first-ever game at the 1995 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH, the Panthers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-14 to become the first team in NFL history to win its initial contest. The Panthers not only were competitive in their inaugural season but established an NFL mark for most wins by an expansion team, posting an impressive 7-9 record and more than doubling the previous expansion-best mark of three victories. During an expansion-record four-game winning streak, Carolina upset the San Francisco 49ers 13-7 at 3Com Park, marking the first time in League history that an expansion team beat the defending Super Bowl champion. The Panthers ended the regular season in dramatic fashion at Ericsson Stadium as Carolina beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-14 with a last minute goal-line stand to conclude the season with a 12-4 record and win the NFC West division title. The team recovered from a 5-4 start to win its last seven games and earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. Carolina Panthers Facts · Franchise Granted October 26, 1993 · First Season 1995 · Stadium Ericsson Stadium (72,685) · Founder/Owner Jerry Richardson · President Mark Richardson · General Manager Bill Polian · NFC Western Division Championships 1996 Firsts, Records, and Odds and Ends · First Draft Choice Kerry Collins, QB, Penn State, 1995. · First Regular-Season Game A 23-20 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, 9/3/95. · First Regular-Season Points An 8-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Frank Reich to tight end Pete Metzelaars vs. the Atlanta Falcons, 9/3/95. · First Regular-Season Win A 26-15 win over the New York Jets, 10/15/95. · First to Pass 300 Yards in a Game Frank Reich, 329 yards vs. the Atlanta Falcons, 9/3/95. · First 100-Yard Game, Rushing Derrick Moore, 123 yards vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10/1/95. · First Defensive Touchdown Nose Tackle Greg Kragen forced a fumble on the one-yard-line and recovered it in the end zone vs. the Chicago Bears, 10/8/95. · Longest Interception Return Tim McKyer, 96-yard interception return vs. the San Francisco 49ers, 11/5/95. · First Winning Season 1996 (12-4). · First Playoff Appearance A 26-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in an NFC divisional playoff game, 1/5/97. · First All-Pro Selections Michael Bates, kick returner, Kevin Greene, linebacker, and Sam Mills, linebacker, 1996. · First Pro Bowl Selections Michael Bates, kick returner, Kerry Collins, quarterback, Eric Davis, cornerback, Kevin Greene, linebacker, Lamar Lathon, linebacker, Sam Mills, linebacker, and Wesley Walls, tight end, 1997. · It's A Fact The Panthers became the first expansion team to win four consecutive games and post a winning record at home. When they beat the San Francisco 49ers, 13-7, on November 5, 1995, Carolina also became the first expansion team to defeat the reigning world champion. NFL

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