Every Panthers starting quarterback ever: Full list
By Mike Luciano
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The Carolina Panthers haven't been around for more than three decades yet, but they have seen more quarterback changes and upheaval than most franchises out there. Carolina hasn't exactly been known as a haven for elite quarterback play.
Around nearly two decades of relative stability starting at the turn of the millennium and ending with the departure of Cam Newton, Carolina has thrown names in and out of the starting lineup. Saying some of these quarterbacks have had mixed results would be an incredible understatement.
Outside of the names every Panthers fan would remember, Carolina's history is full of veteran quarterbacks seeking one last chance, young players looking for a change of scenery, and some infamous moments it would be better if everyone collectively forgot about.
Every Panthers starting quarterback ever:
Cam Newton: 129 starts
The 2015 MVP, Newton set a gold standard for Panthers quarterbacks that will not be touched for quite some time.
Every franchise quarterback record worth anything belongs to him, and his legendary peak as a thrower and runner could eventually be enough to help him garner some Hall of Fame interest. It's a shame that injuries and attrition cut short one of the most exciting careers in recent NFL history.
Jake Delhomme: 90 starts
Delhomme didn't become a starter until age 28, but he made the Super Bowl in his first season. While he didn't put up the gaudiest numbers, Delhomme was a reliable triggerman for a run-heavy, defense-first team. With Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad out wide, Delhomme and Carolina were one of the league's most feared offenses for a brief minute.
Steve Beuerlein: 51 starts
Beuerlein stepped in after Kerry Collins was cut loose. A career backup and spot-starter with 53 career starts in a decade before 1998, Beuerlein exploded. He led the league with 4,436 yards and tossed 36 touchdows (still Panthers records) in 1999 at age 34. However, he regressed the year after and wound up in Denver not long after.
Kerry Collins: 42 starts
Collins was the team's first-ever draft pick, but the 247-pound Penn State product with a rocket arm never quite got on track in Carolina after winning a playoff game in the 1996 season.
After throwing more picks than TDs and struggling with alcoholism, Collins was released before the end of his fourth season. He has success after leaving the Panthers, as his career included a Super Bowl run with the Giants, a Pro Bowl nod with the Titans and over 40,000 passing yards.
Chris Weinke: 19 starts
Turns out starting a 29-year-old rookie was a stupid idea. Who would have thought? After beating up on college players almost 10 years younger than him after a failed baseball career, Weinke was a fourth-round pick of Carolina in 2001. 19 starts later (of which he won two), Weinke had 14 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. He never became a starter after turning Carolina into an offensive black hole.
Sam Darnold: 17 starts
The Panthers have tried to give former top quarterbacks a second lease on life, and Darnold was one of many failed rejuvenation attempts. While he got no help from coaching or surrounding talent, the same poor decision making and inaccuracy that plagued him with the Jets manifested with Carolina.
Bryce Young: 16 starts
Young was chewed up into a fine paste and spit out during his rookie season, as a terrible, rudderless roster did him no favors. While he has to make major improvements on his own to make up for his lack of size, Dave Canales could help Young rewrite Carolina's passing record book.
Rodney Peete: 15 starts
Peete was a well-traveled spot starter best known for his stints with the Lions and Eagles in the 1990s. John Fox brought Peete in as a steady veteran for his first season in Carolina. While he helped them go from one win in 2001 to seven in 2002, Delhomme supplanted Peete early in the 2003 season.
Teddy Bridgewater: 15 starts
Another casualty of the Matt Rhule era, Bridgewater's 4-11 record as a starter must be viewed in the proper context. While he underperformed relative to the huge contract he was signed to, he did throw for over 3,700 yards without Christian McCaffrey for the most of the season and with Robbie Anderson as his No. 1 receiver.
Matt Moore: 13 starts
Before Moore put together a very long career as a backup in Miami, he was a part of the miasma of so-so quarterbacks who preceded the Cam Newton era. Moore was better than Jimmy Clausen, but that shouldn't sound like the biggest praise ever.
Kyle Allen: 13 starts
Allen is still in the NFL, plugging away as a backup. While Allen proved to be a solid quarterback in Carolina when he initially was thrust into action, the former top recruit found it difficult to sustain his level of success before Carolina ultimately decided to part with him.
Every Panthers starting quarterback with 10 or fewer starts:
Quarterback | Starts | Years with Panthers |
---|---|---|
Jimmy Clausen | 10 | 2010-13 |
PJ Walker | 7 | 2020-22 |
Vinny Testaverde | 6 | 2007 |
Baker Mayfield | 6 | 2022 |
David Carr | 4 | 2007 |
Derek Anderson | 4 | 2011-2017 |
Frank Reich | 3 | 1995 |
Will Grier | 2 | 2019-20 |
Matt Lytle | 1 | 2000-01 |
Randy Fasini | 1 | 2002 |
Brian St. Pierre | 1 | 2010 |
Taylor Heinicke | 1 | 2018 |
Andy Dalton | 1 | 2023-24 |
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