The Carolina Panthers have shown they can overcome adversity. When they are being written off, that's when head coach Dave Canales' squad is at its best. That was no more evident than during a crucial victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16.
Perceptions are changing around the Panthers. This is not the same perennial bottom-feeder. They are not the laughingstock of the league right now, and things are finally looking up after years of languishing in the proverbial abyss. If the same trend continues over the final two games of 2025, this upstart franchise will be in the playoffs as NFC South champions.
Some remain skeptical. Some believe the NFC South's weakness is setting Carolina up for a fall. However, slowly but surely, experts and fans across the league are coming to the same realization.
Carolina Panthers are making a believer out of ESPN analyst Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark, a ferocious former safety who now works as an analyst for ESPN, typified this with a simple social media post as Carolina wrested power from the Buccaneers, coming through in the clutch at Bank of America Stadium.
At some point I got to give up on Tampa and believe in Carolina!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 21, 2025
Believe in the Panthers. An inconceivable notion just a few short years ago, but that is not the case anymore.
Momentum is everything at this time of year. The Panthers are riding a tidal wave of positivity after a rocky start to the campaign. It's still a rollercoaster, with losses following wins and vice versa. Even so, it's night and day compared to how things looked in Year 1 under Dave Canales and the woeful eras of Matt Rhule and Frank Reich.
General manager Dan Morgan wanted desperately to make the Panthers respectable again. He wanted opposing teams to come into their stadium and know they were in for a fight. His unwavering desire was to ensure Carolina became an NFL powerhouse again.
There is a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, but everything is proceeding as planned. One could even make a strong case for the Panthers being ahead of schedule right now.
It's been easy to overlook the Panthers. They were the butt of everyone's jokes. They've been dismissed as an afterthought, incapable of being even remotely competitive. Changing opinions is hard, especially after so long out of the limelight. However, Carolina is well on its way to accomplishing this feat.
Clark can see it. Other analysts and media talking heads are also taking notice. But what's important for the Panthers is staying on an even keel, focusing on what they can control, and taking things one step at a time.
After that, everything else should fall into place.