CAROLINA PANTHERS


Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom runs off the field after their 23-20 win against Tampa Bay on Dec. 21, 2025. Ransom, a rookie, clinched the win with his first NFL interception with 49 seconds remaining.


Lathan Ransom responded to his mistakes. 

In the waning seconds Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield fired a pass in the direction of wide receiver Mike Evans. Except the six-time NFL Pro Bowler wasn’t where Mayfield expected. 

Evans, who earlier scored his sixth touchdown in his last eight games against Carolina, peeled off on an inside slant route. Mayfield, meanwhile, threw to the outside, where Ranson dived to secure the game-clinching interception with 49 seconds remaining. 

Instinctively, Ransom rose to return the interception, but a fellow rookie stepped in to bestow a bit of veteran leadership. Realizing that protecting the ball was paramount, outside linebacker Nic Scourton instructed Ransom to simply fall to the turf so the offense could end the 23-20 victory with a kneel-down.  

“Everybody’s telling me to get down,” Ransom said with a laugh afterward. “I was just excited and I got down.”

Ransom’s first career interception helped push the Panthers (8-7) into first place in the NFC South with two games remaining. 

“I was trying to find a lane to step through and make the throw to (Evans),” Mayfield said during his post-game press conference. “He thought I was going to scramble … can’t blame him. Just honestly, it’s just a sucky situation.” 

Ransom: ‘I faced a lot of adversity’ 

Following Sunday’s win, Ransom ran excitedly off the field, celebrating with anyone he contacted. It was a stark contrast to the previous week against the last-place New Orleans Saints on Dec. 14. 

In that outing at Caesars Superdome, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough engineered a final-minute drive. With the score tied at 17-all, Shough escaped the pocket and attempted to slide following a 4-yard run. Ransom aggressively attempted a diving tackle and made helmet-to-helmet contact and was penalized for unnecessary roughness. What would have been a 62-yard field-goal attempt turned into a 47-yard game-winner by Charlie Smyth. 

Ransom heard criticism. 

“I faced a lot of adversity, the noise from everybody last week,” Ransom told reporters. “Probably some of y’all too, you feel me? 

“I understand that the game is not won or lost by one play, but people behind their phones are going to have their own opinions. I just heard all the noise, listened to it and used it as fuel for this game. I mean, that’s football.” 

The Panthers could clinch their first division championship since 2015 with a win Sunday against Seattle and a Buccaneers (7-8) loss to Miami. The Panthers travel to Tampa for a Week 18 matchup. 
Panthers safety Nick Scott, who endured his share of on-field mistakes over the past seven seasons, understands all young players must learn to ignore “all the noise.” 

“I’m just really happy for him personally, that he can have that feeling of what it’s like to close a game,” Scott said. “For DBs, there’s no better feeling than getting a pick and ending it. It’s a blessing to have a young guy that learns as well as he does, plays as hard as he does, and just really happy for him. I mean, the guy plays the game the right way, and he’s really learning how to be a pro fast.”  

The fourth-round draft pick remains in good company. 

Panthers’ youth movement in high gear 

The Panthers, who are in contention for their first trip to the playoffs since 2017, fielded 10 rookies against Tampa Bay. 

Along with Ransom’s late heroics, first-year kicker Ryan Fitzgerald connected on three field goals, including the game-winner on a 48-yarder with 2:26 remaining; wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan collected a game-high six receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown; Scourton compiled four tackles and tight end Mitchell Evans hauled in three passes.  

Fitzgerald posted his fourth game-winning kick, McMillan remains a top candidate for Rookie of the Year and Scourton ranks second on the team with 3.5 sacks. 

“We have a group of guys that don’t need to be motivated,” quarterback Bryce Young said. “That rookie wall people talk about, you don’t see that from our guys. It doesn’t show up in practice. It doesn’t show up in games. The guys are motivated (and they) won us the game there.”       

Scourton, who worked his way into a starting role after Patrick Jones II injured his back in Week 6, credited the Panthers’ development culture for preparing the rookies for inevitable ups and downs of an NFL campaign.  

“It’s just a testament to the coaches putting us in the best positions and then it’s a testament to the guys, whenever we get called,” Scourton said. “You have to step up, man, and that’s what (the) guys did.” 
Carolina coach Dave Canales appreciated the rookies’ prompt response. 

“Couldn’t be at a better time and it’s why we play these guys,” he said. “It’s why we believe in them and live through the bumps along the road with having young players out there. We had an aggressive style of play (against Tampa Bay) so I’m really proud of those young guys coming through.”

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