There have been plenty of weird and wonderful moments throughout the Carolina Panthers' proud franchise history.
This upstart organization almost won a Super Bowl in the early years. But throughout the rollercoaster journey spanning three decades, one moment stands out as the trigger that sparked a modern-day downfall.
The Panthers had no business losing Super Bowl 50. They were the NFL's juggernaut, winning 15 regular-season games before steamrolling their way through the playoffs. Superstar quarterback Cam Newton was the league's MVP, and Carolina's defense boasted elite-level game-wreckers like Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis.
Carolina Panthers have never been the same since Super Bowl 50
Nobody could seemingly stop them from hoisting their first Vince Lombardi trophy. But it didn't take long to figure out their clash for all the marbles against the Denver Broncos was never going to go according to plan.
The Broncos' offense, led by Peyton Manning, was pedestrian at best. On any other day, the Panthers would have bamboozled Denver en route to another convincing triumph in keeping with their exploits throughout the campaign.
But this was not an ordinary day.
Carolina's offensive line had no answer for edge rusher Von Miller. Everything was disjointed, and nothing worked in the team's favor. The pressure got to everybody, Newton included, and the Panthers fell to a demoralizing 24-10 loss.
Nothing has been the same since.
That Super Bowl run is a distant memory. Ron Rivera fizzled out as head coach. Newton and Kuechly's health problems took their toll. David Tepper bought the franchise from Jerry Richardson, which was swiftly followed by woeful head coaching hires that plunged this once proud organization to rock bottom.
Fans became disillusioned. Frustrations grew as Tepper couldn't seem to get anything right. Not even Newton's brief return could turn the tide — things were too far gone by that point.
Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are trying to turn things around. There are some encouraging signs, but it remains a precarious situation. But they are bringing some pride back and showing that the Panthers are not going to be a pushover anymore. That's something, at least.
Would things have been different if the Panthers had beaten the Broncos? It's hard to say, but at least the fan base would have had this moment to cherish throughout one of the worst periods in franchise folklore.