Win or lose, this should be a celebrated moment in Carolina Panthers history

The Panthers have worked hard to get to this point, and fans deserve some positivity.

Jan 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble (82) scores a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

It's difficult to quite describe the last eight years for the Carolina Panthers. Prior to this season, they'd had one of the worst seven-year runs any team has had in recent memory. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, finally, but the tunnel had lasted forever.

8-9. -69 point differential. 10.5-point home underdogs in the playoffs. Painful slate of opponents in 2026. None of that screams positivity or anything to be truly celebrated. Win or lose, though, this moment in Panthers history ought to be remembered fondly.

For starters, it should be remembered because of the intense journey it's taken to get here. Cam Newton's shoulder injury in 2018 ruined everything, and things have gone downhill since then.

They decided, foolishly, to cut Newton after the 2019 season when he was seemingly healthy. You could argue everything they've done since has been trying to fix that mistake. They cycled QB options until selling the farm for Bryce Young.

That backfired, too, because a depleted roster with bad coaches and a rookie QB without imposing physical traits was a doomed combination. Another reason this moment should be celebrated is because it took an insane amount of work.

It took incredible investment in the offensive line, a top-10 receiver, improbable growth from Young after being benched, and a new head coach. What the Panthers have had to do just to scrape to this point is impressive.

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales celebrates with quarterback Bryce Young (9) after a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Being in the playoffs under .500 and with a major negative point differential also speaks to the effort. Things were obviously not easy, so they had to find wins where they could. They had to grind for close wins just to sneak in.

Having Newton back is the cherry on top. Things might be harder next year with a tough schedule, but at least for the moment, all is right in the world. He's back to bang the drum and effectively usher in the new era this team has searched for.

It might have been ugly, and it might all come crashing down later today, but this moment in Panthers history is a significant one. Young might not be the QB in two seasons. Who knows if Dave Canales is going to stick around well into the future?

But for now, the stars have somewhat aligned for the biggest game in eight years. The simple fact that it's happened, which felt extremely unlikely for several years, is something. Fans probably didn't think they were going to see a home playoff game for a long time, but here we are.

So enjoy the moment. It might not be all that cool to 29 other NFL teams, and it might end up being just a stepping stone on the path to greatness. For now, though, it's everything.