Why the Carolina Panthers can actually win the Super Bowl

The quest to win Super Bowl LX begins on Saturday at Charlotte for 14 teams. One NFL analyst explains how the Carolina Panthers could hoist a Lombardi Trophy.

Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) celebrates after a touchdown during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

A season ago, every NFL team that reached the postseason won at least 10 games. In fact, the Seattle Seahawks finished 10-7 and missed out on the playoffs after losing the tiebreaker to the division-rival Rams.

That’s not the case in 2025. The Green Bay Packers are a 9-7-1 wild card team, and the 8-9 Carolina Panthers are NFC South champions. The latter is a division champion for the first time since 2015 and in the playoffs for the first time since ’17.

Ben Arthur of Fox Sports took a look at all 14 teams in the postseason field and explained how each team could wind up hoisting a Lombardi Trophy. When it came to Dave Canales’s squad, the focus was on the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. According to Arthur, it comes down to that “clutch factor” that belongs to quarterback Bryce Young.

“The 24-year-old quarterback has yet to show true consistency at any point in his three seasons, and his long-term future in Carolina remains uncertain. But Young’s heroics in the clutch give the Panthers a fighting chance in the postseason, even in the unlikely scenario that they make it to the Super Bowl. The former No. 1 overall pick has 10 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since the start of 2024, including six this season.”

Jan 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) looks to pass 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

That aforementioned lack of consistency was an issue throughout the year. And just when it looked like Young had settled into a groove late in the season, the Panthers dropped their final two games. In the losses to the Seahawks and Buccaneers, Young combined for two touchdown passes and the same number of interceptions. In his previous outings, the third-year pro combined for six scoring tosses without a turnover.

Could Young duplicate his Week 13 performance in the home upset of the Rams this Saturday at Charlotte? He hit on 15-of-20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-28 victory.

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