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1997 Carolina Panthers season

{{short description|NFL team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Carolina Panthers

| helmet=

| year = 1997

| record = 7–9

| division_place = 2nd NFC West

| coach = Dom Capers

| general manager = Bill Polian

| owner = Jerry Richardson

| stadium = Ericsson Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro_bowlers = TE Wesley Walls

| AP All-pros = KR Michael Bates 1st team
TE Wesley Walls 2nd team

| shortnavlink = Panthers seasons

}}

The 1997 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 3rd season in the National Football League and the 3rd under head coach Dom Capers. They failed to improve upon their 12–4 record in 1996, and make it to the playoffs for the second time in franchise history and finished 7–9. The Panthers appeared on Monday Night Football for the first time in franchise history.

Offseason

= NFL draft =

{{main article|1997 NFL draft}}

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1997

| teamname = Carolina Panthers

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 27

| player = Rae Carruth

| position = Wide receiver

| college = Colorado

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 2

| pick = 56

| player = Mike Minter

| position = Safety

| college = Nebraska

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 3

| pick = 87

| player = Kinnon Tatum

| position = Linebacker

| college = Notre Dame

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 4

| pick = 122

| player = Tarek Saleh

| position = Linebacker

| college = Wisconsin

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 6

| pick = 187

| player = Matt Finkes

| position = Defensive end

| college = Ohio State

| notes =

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 7

| pick = 228

| player = Kris Mangum

| position = Tight end

| college = Mississippi

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

}}

{{NFL team draft end

| probowl = no

| hof = no

}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1997_draft.htm |title=1997 Carolina Panthers draftees |work=Pro-Football-Reference.com |accessdate=October 3, 2014 }}

Personnel

= Staff =

{{NFL final staff

| year = 1997

| team = Carolina Panthers

| front_office =

| head_coach =

| offensive =

| defensive =

| special_teams =

| strength =

  • Strength and conditioning – Chip Morton

}}

{{cite web |title=Assistant Coaches |url=http://www.panthers.com/team/history/assistant-coaches.html |work=Panthers.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115220107/http://www.panthers.com/team/history/assistant-coaches.html |archivedate=January 15, 2013 |accessdate=January 3, 2014 }}

= Roster =

{{NFL final roster

| year = 1997

| team = Carolina Panthers

| prefix =

| active = 53

| inactive = 5

| PS =

| quarterbacks =

{{NFLplayer| 7|Steve Beuerlein}}

{{NFLplayer|12|Kerry Collins}}

{{NFLplayer| 9|Shane Matthews}}

| running_backs =

{{NFLplayer|21|Tim Biakabutuka}}

{{NFLplayer|43|Scott Greene|FB}}

{{NFLplayer|23|Anthony Johnson|d=running back}}

{{NFLplayer|32|Fred Lane|d=American football}}

{{NFLplayer|20|Winslow Oliver|PR}}

| wide_receivers =

{{NFLplayer|82|Michael Bates|d=American football|KR}}

{{NFLplayer|84|Rae Carruth|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|81|Rocket Ismail}}

{{NFLplayer|89|Ernie Mills}}

{{NFLplayer|87|Muhsin Muhammad}}

{{NFLplayer|80|Dwight Stone|d=American football}}

| tight_ends =

{{NFLplayer|49|Luther Broughton|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|86|Kris Mangum|rookie=y}}

{{NFLplayer|85|Wesley Walls}}

| offensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|78|Blake Brockermeyer|T}}

{{NFLplayer|66|Matt Campbell|d=offensive lineman|G}}

{{NFLplayer|52|Matt Elliott|d=American football|G/T}}

{{NFLplayer|65|Frank Garcia|d=offensive lineman|C}}

{{NFLplayer|60|Bucky Greeley|C}}

{{NFLplayer|63|Mark Rodenhauser|C/LS}}

{{NFLplayer|75|Greg Skrepenak|G}}

{{NFLplayer|70|Todd Stewart|link=no|rookie=y|T}}

{{NFLplayer|73|Jamie Wilson|d=American football|rookie=y|T}}

| defensive_linemen =

{{NFLplayer|93|Mike Fox|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|71|Greg Kragen|NT}}

{{NFLplayer|69|Les Miller|d=American football|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|95|Tim Morabito|NT}}

{{NFLplayer|98|Don Sasa|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|99|Ray Seals|DE}}

| linebackers =

{{NFLplayer|54|Carlton Bailey|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|53|Myron Baker|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|56|Micheal Barrow|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|55|Percell Gaskins|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|57|Lamar Lathon|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|51|Sam Mills|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|58|Andre Royal|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|94|Tarek Saleh|rookie=y|OLB}}

{{NFLplayer|50|Kinnon Tatum|rookie=y|ILB}}

{{NFLplayer|97|Renaldo Turnbull|OLB}}

| defensive_backs =

{{NFLplayer|24|Clifton Abraham|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|41|Toi Cook|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|37|Chad Cota|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|25|Eric Davis|d=American football|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|30|Mike Minter|rookie=y|FS}}

{{NFLplayer|27|Damon Pieri|SS}}

{{NFLplayer|38|Tyrone Poole|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|31|Rod Smith|d=defensive back|CB}}

{{NFLplayer|40|Pat Terrell|FS}}

| special_teams =

{{NFLplayer| 4|John Kasay|K}}

{{NFLplayer|13|Ken Walter|P}}

|Reserve Lists =

{{NFLplayer|83|Mark Carrier|d=wide receiver|WR|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|76|Norberto Davidds-Garrido|T|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|96|Shawn King|d=American football|DE|Susp.}}

{{NFLplayer|88|Walter Rasby|TE|IR}}

{{NFLplayer|22|Marquette Smith|RB|IR}}

|Practice Squad =

{{NFLplayer|90|William Carr|d=Arena football|rookie=y|NT}}

{{NFLplayer|72|Waverly Jackson|rookie=y|DE}}

{{NFLplayer|42|Nakia Reddick|link=no|rookie=y|S}}

53 active, 5 inactive, 3 practice squad

}}

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Week

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Date

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Opponent

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Result

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Record

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Venue

! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"| Attendance

style="background:#fcc"

! 1

| August 31

| Washington Redskins

| L 10–24

| 0–1

| Ericsson Stadium

| 72,633

style="background:#cfc"

! 2

| September 7

| at Atlanta Falcons

| W 9–6

| 1–1

| Georgia Dome

| 51,829

style="background:#cfc"

! 3

| September 14

| at San Diego Chargers

| W 26–7

| 2–1

| Qualcomm Stadium

| 63,149

style="background:#fcc"

! 4

| September 21

| Kansas City Chiefs

| L 14–35

| 2–2

| Ericsson Stadium

| 67,402

style="background:#fcc"

! 5

| September 29

| San Francisco 49ers

| L 21–34

| 2–3

| Ericsson Stadium

| 70,972

align="center"

! 6

| colspan="6" | Bye

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 12

| at Minnesota Vikings

| L 14–21

| 2–4

| Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

| 62,625

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| October 19

| at New Orleans Saints

| W 13–0

| 3–4

| Louisiana Superdome

| 50,963

style="background:#cfc"

! 9

| October 26

| Atlanta Falcons

| W 21–12

| 4–4

| Ericsson Stadium

| 54,675

style="background:#cfc"

! 10

| November 2

| Oakland Raiders

| W 38–14

| 5–4

| Ericsson Stadium

| 71,064

style="background:#fcc"

! 11

| November 9

| at Denver Broncos

| L 0–34

| 5–5

| Mile High Stadium

| 71,408

style="background:#fcc"

! 12

| November 16

| at San Francisco 49ers

| L 19–27

| 5–6

| 3Com Park

| 61,500

style="background:#cfc"

! 13

| November 23

| at St. Louis Rams

| W 16–10

| 6–6

| Trans World Dome

| 64,609

style="background:#fcc"

! 14

| November 30

| New Orleans Saints

| L 13–16

| 6–7

| Ericsson Stadium

| 57,957

style="background:#cfc"

! 15

| December 8

| at Dallas Cowboys

| W 23–13

| 7–7

| Texas Stadium

| 63,251

style="background:#fcc"

! 16

| December 14

| Green Bay Packers

| L 10–31

| 7–8

| Ericsson Stadium

| 70,887

style="background:#fcc"

! 17

| December 20

| St. Louis Rams

| L 18–30

| 7–9

| Ericsson Stadium

| 58,101

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Carolina Panthers|year=1997|border=2}}"

|colspan="7"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

{{1997 NFC West standings}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Carolina Panthers}}

{{Carolina Panthers seasons}}

{{1997 NFL season by team}}

Category:Carolina Panthers seasons

Carolina Panthers

Carolina

Category:1990s in Charlotte, North Carolina