CHARLOTTE — Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Dean Wells passed away Thursday morning, following a two-year battle with cancer.
He was selected in the fourth-round of the 1993 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. After six seasons with the Seahawks, Wells joined the Panthers in 1999, where he played under linebackers coach Sam Mills and helped usher in a corps that included rookie linebacker Dan Morgan in 2001.
He concluded a nine year career with 529 tackles, 2.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and three interceptions.
Wells was a standout at the University of Kentucky, where he set a single season sack record in 1992 with 10.0, as well as the record for most sacks in a game with 5.0, a record that still stands to this day.