WXII to air ‘Panthers Path to the Playoffs’ special on Friday
ANGELES. ALRIGHT. THANKS, CHANEL. LET’S CONTINUE OUR TEAM COVERAGE NOW. PANTHERS FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A POSTSEASON LIKE THIS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. BASICALLY SINCE DAVID TEPPER PURCHASED THE TEAM. CHRIS PETERSON CONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GROWING FAN EXCITEMENT. YEARS OF FRUSTRATION ARE FINALLY OVER FOR PANTHERS FANS, AND THEY’RE FIRED UP ABOUT THEIR TEAM MAKING THE PLAYOFFS RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD FEELING TO BE A PANTHER FAN. IT’S A REAL GREAT FEELING BY DAY. ELAINE BROWN IS A SUPERVISOR WITH THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM STREETS DIVISION, BUT ON FOOTBALL SUNDAYS, HE TURNS INTO THE MAD CAT. THE MAD CAT STARTED BACK IN 2014. IT WAS THE FIRST ANNUAL PANTHER PRIDE COSTUME CONTEST, MADE A COSTUME JUST TO WEAR, TO HAVE FUN WITH. AND HERE WE ARE, 12 YEARS LATER, STILL DOING IT. BROWN. I MEAN, THE BAD CAT IS A SEASON TICKET HOLDER WHO SAYS HE’S SEEN MORE LOWS THAN HIGHS IN HIS TIME AS PANTHERS SUPERFAN, BUT THERE’S DEFINITELY AN EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR THIS SEASON. IT MEANS A LOT. I MEAN, IT’S A GREAT FEELING TO ALWAYS SUPPORT MY PANTHERS REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF A GAME, BUT TO ACTUALLY BE IN CONTENTION AND TO BE HAVING THE ALL THE MOMENTUM AND ENERGY GOING AROUND MY TEAM RIGHT NOW, IT FEELS GREAT. IT’S A SIMILAR VIBE HERE AT MOSSY EATS ALES AND SPIRITS IN CLEMMONS, BARTENDER JENNA SWAIN SAYS THE PLACE WAS PACKED ALL WEEKEND. SATURDAY, IT WAS TO CHEER ON THE PANTHERS, AND ON SUNDAY, FANS WERE ROOTING FOR THE FALCONS SO CAROLINA COULD MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS. IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE EVERYBODY, LIKE, COME TOGETHER YESTERDAY AND CHEER ON THE FALCONS. YOU KNOW, HOPING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT HAPPEN. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE PANTHERS HAVE WENT TO THE PLAYOFFS. SO IT’S KIND OF EXCITING. IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LONG TIME 2017 TO BE EXACT. SWAIN SAYS THE ENERGY IN THE RESTAURANT IS DIFFERENT THIS SEASON. YEARS PAST, IT’S LIKE, OH YEAH, PANTHERS. THEY LOST AGAIN. AND THEN THIS YEAR IT’S LIKE, OH THEY’RE WINNING. OH THEY WON AGAIN. WOW. THEY’RE DOING LIKE REALLY GOOD. THE MAD CAT HAS A MESSAGE FOR FANS HEADING TO BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM THIS WEEKEND. IF WE DO OUR PART AS FANS AND REALLY PACK THAT STADIUM OUT, LET’S ROCK THE BANK. WE CAN DO THIS. WHETHER IT’S AT THE STADIUM WITH MAD CAT OR AT YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS BAR, PANTHERS FANS WILL BE DOING THEIR PART TO CHEER THEIR TEAM ON TO VICTORY THIS WEEKEND IN CLEMMONS. I’M CHRIS PETERSON, WXII 12 NEWS. THANK YOU CHRIS. AND THE GEAR IS ALREADY OUT. YOU CAN BUY YOUR NFC SOUTH CHAMPION SWAG EITHER IN PERSON AT THE TEAM STORE AT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM, OR YOU CAN PURCHASE IT ONLINE. THE TEAM STORE IS OPEN FROM 11 TO 6 WEEKDAYS AND AN HOUR BEFORE THE GATES OPEN FOR SATURDAY’S GAME, WHICH KICKS OFF AT 430 THIS FRIDAY NIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO BE HIGHLIGHTING EXACTLY HOW THE PANTHERS GOT HERE AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO BEAT THE RAMS AGAIN. JOIN JOHN JOHNSON AND CHANEL PORTER LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE WITH A PLAYOFF PREVIEW. PANTHERS PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS AIRS FRIDAY NIGHT AT SE
WXII to air ‘Panthers Path to the Playoffs’ special on Friday
Updated: 8:28 PM EST Jan 5, 2026
The Carolina Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after winning the NFC South with the Falcons beating the Saints on Sunday.To highlight how the Panthers got here and what it will take to get past the Rams, WXII is hosting a playoff preview.You can catch “Panthers Path to the Playoffs” with Sports Director John Johnson alongside Sports Reporter Chanel Porter live from Charlotte.The special airs at 7 p.m. Friday on WXII and streaming on Very Local.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
The Carolina Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after winning the NFC South with the Falcons beating the Saints on Sunday.
To highlight how the Panthers got here and what it will take to get past the Rams, WXII is hosting a playoff preview.
You can catch “Panthers Path to the Playoffs” with Sports Director John Johnson alongside Sports Reporter Chanel Porter live from Charlotte.
The special airs at 7 p.m. Friday on WXII and streaming on Very Local.