Richardson Sports decided to build a privately financed stadium too. In 1992, the NFL announced several probable areas which would be given an expansion team. Among these were Maryland, Missouri, Memphis and the Carolina region. Eventually, in 1993, the NFL announced that the 29th franchise team was awarded to the Carolinas.

The Panthers started their career in 1995 by winning their first game, the first expansion team to do so. They defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that was called “Battle of the Big Cats” due to their nicknames. The same year the Panthers also became the first expansion team to win four consecutive games in a season. They also staged a shocking win over the Super Bowl defending champions the San Francisco 49ers, becoming the first expansion team to defeat the reigning champions. Their head coach at the time was Dom Capers.

The next season the Panthers continued on their winning streak by winning seven games. They won the NFC West Division Title but they lost the NFC Championship to the Green Bay Packers 30-13. From 1997, the Panthers had problems on as well as off the field. Not only did they have a dismal start to the season, their team was haunted by personal controversies. It started in 1999 with the arrest of Rae Carruth who was conspiring to kill his pregnant girlfriend. Quarterback Kerry Collins had problems like alcohol-abuse and even made racial remarks about his teammates, especially Muhsin Muhammad. In 2000, former running back Fred Lane was shot dead by his wife.

The season of 2003 was more successful for the Panthers. It was this year that they won the NFC Championships beating the Philadelphia Eagles 14-3. Incidentally this was the Eagles third loss in a row in the NFC Championship. They reached the Super Bowl that year where they played against the New England Patriots. The Super Bowl that year will probably be remembered more as the one which had the Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” during halftime! The Panthers went on to lose the game.

The 2005 season brought problems again to the Panthers. Todd Sauerbrun, Jeff Mitchell and Todd Steussie were accused of using steroids. Later that year Sam Mills died after a long fight with intestinal cancer. Mark Fields who had been diagnosed with Hodgkins disease two years earlier had to miss the season due to treatment.

The Panthers retired just one jersey number, that of Sam Mills #51 in his memory.