Were the Carolina Panthers one of the best teams in the NFL last season? Absolutely not. Winning eight games puts you roughly in the middle of the pack, although making the playoffs certainly helps, and the Panthers did that.
Now that the season is over, though, with the Super Bowl concluded, it’s a good time to look ahead to next year. The first few Power Rankings are out, and one would think the Panthers would get a halfway decent ranking based on their 2025 success.
One would be wrong. In an unfathomably disrespectful turn, ESPN and FOX Sports (more on that below) have literally zero respect for the Panthers. ESPN ranked them 22nd, making them roughly a bottom-10 team.
The blurb there was about the offseason focus. “With no coaching search for the second straight offseason, the Panthers can now focus on adding much-needed depth instead of rebuilding,” David Newton wrote.
“Carolina is no longer hindered in the draft by its trade up to take quarterback Bryce Young in 2023,” he wrote. “Morgan also strongly believes ability and hope will attract top free agents. In 2025, the Panthers won their first NFC South title since 2015 and made their first playoff appearance since 2017.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (88) runs against Carolina Panthers safety Tre’von Moehrig | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
That’s pretty bad. Among the teams ranked ahead of the Panthers were the Washington Commanders (five wins), Dallas Cowboys (lost to Panthers and missed playoffs), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (lost to Panthers and lost division to Panthers), Cincinnati Bengals (six wins), and Kansas City Chiefs (six wins and lost Patrick Mahomes to an ACL tear late last season).
It doesn’t get much worse than that, does it? It does. FOX Sports ranked the Panthers 24th in the NFL. That makes them one of the worst teams in the sport, in the same area as the New Orleans Saints, Tenneesse Titans, and Minnesota Vikings.
🚨 Way-too-early 2026 NFL power rankings following Super Bowl LX 🚨
Read more: https://t.co/F4yC8tZ0w8 pic.twitter.com/WPgm4lbL6g
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 9, 2026
Some notably wrong teams ranked higher:
Minnesota VikingsTampa Bay BuccaneersDallas CowboysNew York GiantsAtlanta FalconsWashington CommandersCincinnati BengalsKansas City Chiefs
These are all pretty egregious. The Panthers are probably better than all eight of those teams, putting them 16th, which is much more accurate.
The most stunning, though, is the Buccaneers. How are they ahead in both rankings? The Panthers took the division from them, and they finished with two wins in their final nine contests.
They’re old and fading, while the Panthers are young and ascending. It couldn’t be more clear which team is better, but national outlets don’t seem to realize what the Panthers are doing.
– Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI –
NFL rule change might take away huge Carolina Panthers advantage
How much did the Panthers actually improve on defense in 2025?
Panthers not expected to contend for playoffs next season for one reason
Two trade proposals would fix major issue with Panthers’ offense