Feb. 8, 2026, 6:05 a.m. ET
Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, their unlikely bid for Super Bowl LX fell short about a month ago. But, if it’s any consolation, there are a few old friends who made their way to the big game in Santa Clara, Calif.
Sunday’s matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will feature three former Panthers. And we’ll start with the more obvious one, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.
Darnold passed for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and a career-high 67.7-percent completion rate this season while helping lead Seattle to the NFC’s No. 1 seed. He earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod and became the first quarterback in league history with back-to-back 13-win campaigns for two different teams.
The former third overall pick made 17 starts for the Panthers between 2021 and 2022. He averaged 203.9 passing yards per contest with 23 total touchdowns (seven rushing) and 16 interceptions.
Seattle’s game-day roster will also include running back Velus Jones Jr., who was elevated from their practice squad on Saturday. Jones appeared in two games for Carolina in 2024, where he took one rushing attempt for no gain and one kick return for 19 yards.
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Linebacker Jamie Sheriff and cornerback Shaquill Griffin—who spent time with the Panthers in 2024 and 2023, respectively—are members of the Seahawks’ practice squad as well. They will not be active.
On the opposing sideline will be Patriots outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, who notched a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2025. Chaisson, the 20th overall selection of the 2020 NFL Draft, spent the spring and summer of 2024 with the Panthers before he was cut in early September.
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