Which Carolina Panthers players throughout franchise history are not acknowledged nearly enough for their respective contributions?
There has been laughter and sadness aplenty for those associated with the Carolina Panthers since the team officially began its NFL journey. A few near misses regarding an elusive Super Bowl success are the obvious highlights, with some tough spells thrown in for good measure throughout a rollercoaster ride spanning almost three decades.
The Panthers have never enjoyed the pleasure of back-to-back winning seasons. That milestone also appears some way off as the current group of players, coaches, and ownership try and turn around a turbulent period of form in 2022.
Carolina has been blessed with having some of the league’s best players at various stages. Others that flew under the radar also deserve significantly more credit than they ended up with for their respective efforts.
With this in mind, we picked out and ranked the five most underrated Panthers players in franchise history.
Underrated Player No. 5
Brad Hoover – Former Carolina Panthers FB
Brad Hoover is still a name held in high regard by anyone that saw him play. The Carolina Panthers got a productive decade out of the fullback, who provided ruthless blocking and a surprising running ability that made him an instant fan favorite.
Hoover paved the way for three Panthers players to go over 100 rushing yards during his stint with the team. And few would ever forget his 117-yard performance on Monday Night Football to announce himself on the NFL stage as a rookie.
Although the full-back position is a dying breed in today’s NFL, nobody will ever forget Hoover’s contribution and the deafening “Hoov” chants that came from the stands whenever he made a big play.