The Carolina Panthers secured the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs following an 8-9 record in the 2025 regular season and will face the No. 5 seeded Los Angeles Rams in the first round.
Quarterback Bryce Young led Carolina in passing, throwing for 3,011 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions across 16 games. Young completed 63.6 percent of his attempts and also added 216 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Backup Andy Dalton appeared in four games, completing 25 of 37 passes for 293 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Running back Rico Dowdle carried the offensive load on the ground, rushing for 1,076 yards on 236 attempts with six touchdowns. Chuba Hubbard contributed 511 rushing yards, and Trevor Etienne added 94 yards on 20 carries. Dowdle also caught 39 passes for 297 yards and one touchdown, making him a dual-threat weapon.
Tetairoa McMillan led the Panthers in receiving with 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. Jalen Coker added 394 yards and three touchdowns on 33 catches, while Xavier Legette had 363 yards and three scores. Dowdle’s 297 receiving yards were the fourth-highest on the team.
Carolina’s offensive attack relied on balance between the pass and run, with Dowdle and Young contributing on the ground while McMillan and other receivers helped stretch the field. The team averaged 194.4 passing yards per game with a strong supporting cast of targets, including Tommy Tremble (249 yards, 2 TDs) and Chuba Hubbard (223 yards, 3 TDs).
Carolina will host Los Angeles on Saturday, January 10, with Bryce Young expected to start. The Panthers will aim to use their balanced offense and playoff experience to advance past the Rams in what should be a closely contested first-round matchup.
