Carolina Panthers Top 5 Quarterbacks of All Time

(last updated on February 8, 2026)

Only around since 1995, the Carolina Panthers have already been to four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowls. That’s more Super Bowl appearances than the Browns and Lions combined. Sorry, Cleveland and Detroit. The Panthers have been to four more NFC title tilts than the Cowboys since 1996. Not sorry, Dallas. My point is not to cast stray bullets at those cities, but to show that in a relatively short existence, this team based in Charlotte has had decent success. They just ended a playoff drought, and with a promising young quarterback and competing in an any-team-can-win-it NFC South, their fortunes could change quickly. As James Taylor sang, “I’m going to Carolina in my mind.” Here are the top quarterbacks of all time for the Carolina Panthers.

Yes, it’s a small sample size, but it’s not that old of a franchise, so the current Carolina QB gets a place with the top Panthers quarterbacks of all time. Bryce Young, the top selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, has gradually improved in his first three seasons; his talent and potential are indisputable. Young was thrown to the wolves as a rookie. Behind a weak O-line, the rookie was sacked 62 times in 2023 for the 2-14 Panthers; however, despite the hits, he started 16 games and managed to throw for 2,877 yards and 11 TDs. In 2024, although he was briefly benched, he was trending very well by the end of the season. One, the team was very competitive for a 5-12 squad. Two, this Heisman winner finished his last three games with 7 TDs to 0 picks and had a 100+ passer rating in each contest. Bryce also rushed for six TDs and took less than half the sacks from his rookie campaign. In his third year, this former Crimson Tide signal-caller threw for 3,000+ yards and 23 TDs. Most importantly, the Panthers broke their playoff drought and won the NFC South. If Bryce Young continues his development, he will only further validate his status as one of the best Carolina Panthers quarterbacks ever.

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Kerry Collins, the fifth guy selected in the 1995 NFL Draft, was the first player ever drafted by the Carolina Panthers. This quarterback from Penn State got the Panthers to the NFC Championship Game in the expansion team’s second season, so that gets him a place with the best Carolina quarterbacks of all time. In about three and a half years as the signal-caller in Charlotte, Kerry’s numbers were pretty pedestrian: a 22-20 record as the starter, a 51.8 completion %, 47 TDs to 54 INTs, and a 66 passer rating. This also goes along with some off-the-field issues. However, that special 1996 season can’t be overlooked. Collins was a Pro Bowler with a 9-3 record in games started, 2,454 passing yards, and 14 TD tosses. The 12-4 Panthers beat Dallas in the Divisional Round before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champ Packers. During the 1998 season, Carolina released their first ever QB. From there, Kerry Collins went on to have a very fruitful career with multiple teams (over 40,000 career yards passing – 23rd in NFL history).

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As far as journeyman quarterbacks go, Steve Beuerlein was one of the most successful in NFL history, and his best days came as a Carolina Panther. Carolina was the fifth stop for this fourth rounder from the 1987 draft, and he was originally brought there as a backup. He took over starting duties during the ‘98 season and ended up leading the league in completion % (63.0) and also added 17 TD passes. Then in 1999, although the team was just 8-8, Beuerlein set still-standing team records with 36 touchdown passes, 4,436 passing yards, and 343 completions; the last two led the NFL. In 2000, he followed that up with 19 TD strikes and 3,730 yards in the air. The franchise thought so much of this QB that he signed a one-day contract to retire with the team in 2004. Steve Beuerlein did a lot of traveling in his NFL days, and his time in Carolina made him an all-time quarterback for the Panthers.  

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The Carolina Panthers have been to two Super Bowls in their history, and Jake Delhomme was the first quarterback to get them there. I watched from the press box at Lincoln Financial Field as this affable QB led Carolina over the heavily favored Eagles in the 2003 NFC Championship Game. That day Jake grinded out a 14-3 win behind a 109.5 passer rating with a touchdown and no picks. Two weeks later in Super Bowl XXXVIII, this Cajun was even more impressive with 323 passing yards, 3 TD strikes, and a 113.6 passer rating in a torturous 32-29 loss to the Patriots. Besides that memorable year, Delhomme got the Panthers back to the playoffs in 2005 and 2008. Though this slinger was never known for his tools, he was full of grit and had four seasons of 3,000+ yards passing in Charlotte. That grit resulted in a 53-37 record as the Panthers starting quarterback and a franchise-best 22 game-winning drives. Check the team’s all-time rankings, and you’ll see this guy is second in both passing yards (19,258) and TD passes (120). Few would dispute that Jake Delhomme has a warm spot in the hearts of Carolina fans as one of the Panthers greatest quarterbacks ever.

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Now, contrary to the previous entrant mentioned, the last Carolina Panthers quarterback on this list had it all: size, speed, arm strength, and running-back instincts. We are referring to Cam Newton, quite possibly the top quarterback of all time for the Carolina Panthers. The top overall pick of the 2011 draft and 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year had a storied career for the Cats. He compiled 3,100+ passing yards, 19+ TD passes, and 350+ rushing yards in each of his first eight seasons in Carolina. When this 6-5, 250 beast turned the corner, many DBs had to make some business decisions. His 75 rushing scores are the second best by a QB in NFL history. 2015 was Newton’s peak year when he won the MVP award with 35 TDs to just 10 INTs, 3,837 aerial yards, 636 ground yards, and 10 TD scampers. The Panthers went 15-1 and reached Super Bowl 50 but fell to Denver in Peyton’s farewell game. Overall, the team made the playoffs four times with Cam at the helm. He is their all-time leader in passing yards (29,725), passing TDs (186), and wins (68). In retrospect, some Carolina fans may have expected more from #1, but when Cam Newton was in his prime, he was one of the best players in the league, and he certainly can make the claim of being the Panthers top quarterback of all time.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2025 at 2:39 pm and is filed under NFL History. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.