The last time the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South, Barack Obama was President and the Golden State Warriors were in the middle of their run at the top of the NBA. A whole lot has changed in the world since 2015, and the division has seen one dominant team fade and another take its place.
For the last four years, the NFC South crown has gone to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They should probably still be favored to win the division this year, but there are some who believe that Carolina could go from worst to first in the 2025 season. Here's Emory Hunt at CBS Sports making the case.
CBS Sports on Panthers from worst to first
It's true that the Panthers finished the 2024 season on a high note and they're definitely on the rise. Assuming that Bryce Young picks up where he left off and the front office gets him some more help at wide receiver, Carolina could very well field a top-10 offense. If their defense gets a few upgrades and plays at a top-20 level, there's a real chance this could be a playoff team.
The big obstacle is of course the team down in Tampa, which has won nine of the last 10 matchups between these teams. The Panthers have proven they can beat the Saints and the Falcons but until they turn around this long-running dynamic against the Bucs it's tough to see them taking the division title.
