Which legendary figures throughout the 26-year history of the Carolina Panthers should be on their second-tier Mount Rushmore?
Last year at Cat Crave we published a feature detailing who should be on the Carolina Panthers’ Mount Rushmore. The team has benefitted from some of the league’s very best talents throughout their brief history and although this hasn’t come with an elusive first Super Bowl, there have been plenty of near misses and lots of memorable moments thrown in for good measure.
For those who missed it, here was out Mount Rushmore of Panthers’ legends.
- Cam Newton – QB
- Luke Kuechly – LB
- Julius Peppers – DE
- Steve Smith – WR
Not many would argue with this list considering what each of them gave to the Panthers. But it did get us thinking about if there was a second-tier Mount Rushmore of Carolina players past or present, who would make the cut?
This is probably more debatable than the original four.
Everyone will have different opinions based on what era they may have grown up watching or what player is remembered fondly for emotional reasons. It’s a hot topic, of that there is little doubt. But we attempted to solve the riddle anyway.
With this in mind, here are the four who made the second-tier Mount Rushmore cut in my humble opinion.
Thomas Davis – Former Carolina Panthers LB
The Keep Pounding mantra within the Carolina Panthers may have started with Sam Mills, but to say it was continued by Thomas Davis would be something of an understatement. The ferocious linebacker enjoyed a phenomenal career with the organization, coming back from two torn ACLs to become an inspirational figure on and off the field.
Davis was taken in the first-round at No., 14 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft and it didn’t take long for the defender to make his presence felt. His vocal leadership on the field was evident almost from the outset and this was matched by fierce competitiveness that was a key component to the team’s success over his 13 years with the franchise.
His partnership with Luke Kuechly in the mid-2010s was arguably the league’s best at the time and there wasn’t anything the opposition could do to prevent one of them from making a huge stop at any given moment.
Davis’ career stats in Carolina saw him rack up 1,098 tackles, 28 sacks, 87 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback hits, 18 forced fumbles, and 13 interceptions, which also brought one All-Pro selection and three trips to the Pro Bowl.
Perhaps more impressive was the work Davis did within the community, which came with the highly coveted Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2014. He rightfully retired as a member of the Panthers this offseason in an emotional ceremony and his status in team history will live on through the ages.
Jordan Gross – Former Carolina Panthers OT
The Carolina Panthers are still looking for a successor to Jordan Gross.
He retired in 2013.
That is how good Gross was and the Panthers were fortunate to have him for the duration of his 11-year career. The former No. 8 overall selection in 2003 is widely regarded as the best offensive tackle ever to put on a Panthers uniform, with his consistency in the face of some of the league’s most dominant edge rushers something that has been almost impossible to replicate ever since.
Gross had a flawless technique that enabled him to get the better of almost everyone he came up against. His leadership within the locker room only enhanced his status across the organization and although some feel he retired a little too soon, he owed the team absolutely nothing after such an outstanding career.
The former Utah standout walked away with his head held high, which was only right. Gross made one All-Pro team, earned three Pro Bowl selections, and was deservedly inducted into the Panthers’ Hall of Honor in recognition of his exceptional commitment to the organization in 2019.
If Carolina’s current roster had someone even half as good as Gross manning the blindside, then they would be playoff contenders. He was a tremendous asset to the franchise and is thoroughly deserving of a place on this list.
Ryan Kalil – Former Carolina Panthers C
There are few centers who’ve ever stepped onto the gridiron that boast the sort of credentials Ryan Kalil has to show from his career. The former Carolina Panthers lineman was a brute force on the interior and things just haven’t been the same at the position since he decided to finally call it a day.
Kalil did try and make a comeback with the New York Jets in 2019. But he was a shell of his former self.
However, this should not detract from what was a phenomenal 12-year stint with the Panthers that also came with two All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl appearances.
Not only did Kalil produce the goods when it mattered most on the field. But the respect he commanded from his teammates was another strong indicator of the esteem to which he was held.
One cannot forget the player crying all alone following a loss during an episode of All or Nothing before being greeted by then-head coach Ron Rivera, so one would be hard-pressed to find someone who cared more.
Things might not have gone according to plan when the Panthers signed his brother Matt Kalil to a bumper deal that turned out to be one of the worst contracts ever given out by the team. But getting this much production from a second-round pick was something beyond Carolina’s wildest dreams when they took Kalil in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Greg Olsen – Former Carolina Panthers TE
Another who deservedly retired as a member of the Carolina Panthers this offseason, Greg Olsen was the heart and soul of the organization during the 2010s and more than left his mark both on and off the field. The tight end is easily the best player at the position in franchise history and his presence was sorely missed during the 2020 campaign after the front office decided to let him walk in free agency.
Olsen spent one season with the Seattle Seahawks before eventually calling it a day and moving on to the FOX studios as an analyst, where he is sure to thrive. The three-time Pro Bowler was a trusted target of Cam Newton’s and there were few better sights than seeing both of them combine when they were at the peak of their powers.
Had Olsen not suffered two frustrating injury campaigns from 2017-18, then his stats would look even more impressive. He ended his stint in Carolina with 524 receptions, 6,463 receiving yards, and 39 touchdowns, bringing in 62.5 percent of balls thrown his way over nine years.
In addition to this, Olsen was a leading figure within the locker room and embraced the community to such an extent that the projects he set up will benefit those less fortunate for a considerable period of time to come.
Olsen was a one-off and another that the Panthers are having a job replacing. Letting him leave was a mistake in hindsight, but his place in franchise history is assured.