The Carolina Panthers motto “keep pounding” has been part of the team’s framework for decades. The official team slogan has been a source of motivation for players and fans during hard times on and off the field.
It all stems from one player. Linebacker Sam Mills used the phrase to summon a memorable stretch for the organization and highlight his battle with intestinal cancer. Mills played for the Panthers during the team’s first three seasons. There is a statue depicting him outside Bank of America Stadium. His number (51) is the only retired number for the team, and it’s still common to see fans wearing his jersey in the stands.
“Keep pounding,” Mills urged his teammates in a moving locker room speech before the team’s game against the Dallas Cowboys in the 2004 Wild Card round of the playoffs. Mills told players that were two options when faced with hardship in life: Quit fighting or keep pounding.
That speech inspired a win and unexpected run to Super Bowl XXXVIII from the team in 2004. Mills was an assistant with the Panthers for seven seasons before his death in April 2005. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and continued to be on staff during his fight.
Mills played 12 seasons in the NFL, nine with the New Orleans Saints and three with the Panthers. Despite being in his late 30s, he played in every game for the Panthers from 1995 to 1998.
There’s a drum that bears the phrase that a fan ‘pounds’ before each game. In October 2022, Mills’ wife, Melanie Mills, did the honors before a special tribute game for Mills against the Arizona Cardinals. NBA star Stephen Curry banged the drum before a game. There’s a Keep Pounding 5K, cancer research fund, online auction and special license plate for North Carolina and South Carolina drivers.
Other tales of resilience are sprinkled throughout the Panthers’ existence. Linebacker Thomas Davis broke his arm in the 2015 NFC championship game and played every defensive snap two weeks later in Super Bowl L. Steve Smith, who became an elite receiver as an undersized receiver out of Utah, famously broke his arm and scored a touchdown in the same play during a 2009 game against the New York Giants.
Mills’ son, Sam Mills III, is a defensive line coach with the team.
Mills’ legacy lives on through the phrase that’s become a touchstone of the franchise and the city. On Saturday, the team will try to upset the Los Angeles Rams for the second time this season. If the Panthers are to make the unlikely happen again, they’ll need to tap into their trademark maxim.