5 players who deserved to win a Super Bowl with the Panthers

Carolina Panthers: Player No. 2 – Steve Smith (WR)

Wide receiver Steve Smith is one of the greatest players that has ever put on a Carolina Panthers uniform. Despite this, the player had just one opportunity to win a Super Bowl with the franchise back during the 2003 season.

The feisty wideout was part of an unfancied group that managed to secure a postseason berth and thrive in a knockout setting. Their quest for a ring fell inches short with a narrow loss to the New England Patriots. And this was as close as Smith ever got to the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Carolina.

When one looks back at what Smith managed to achieve with the franchise. It seems almost criminal that this resulted in one Super Bowl appearance. The irony of it all is that when the receiver did eventually depart in favor of a move to the Baltimore Ravens, their phenomenal 2015 campaign came just two seasons after.

Smith might have made the difference from an organization that had Corey Brown and Ted Ginn Jr. as their wideout tandem. Had the sure-fire Hall of Famer opted to stick around, this fine margin could have been the difference between success and eventual failure.

That does not detract from just what an inspirational figure Smith became with the Panthers. His attitude on the field was exemplary. And he will be forever remembered in Carolina by those who watched him play.