1997 Carolina Panthers season

1997 Carolina Panthers season
Head coach	Dom Capers
General manager	Bill Polian
Owner	Jerry Richardson
Home field	Ericsson Stadium
Results
Record	7–9
Division place	2nd NFC West
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1997 Carolina Panthers season was the third season for the team in the National Football League. They tried to improve upon their 12–4 record in 1996, and make it to the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. The Panthers appeared on Monday Night Football for the first time in franchise history. The Panthers faced the Dallas Cowboys and won the game by a score of 23–13.^[1]

Offseason

NFL Draft

1997 Carolina Panthers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	27	Rae Carruth	Wide receiver	Colorado
2	56	Mike Minter	Safety	Nebraska
3	87	Kinnon Tatum	Linebacker	Notre Dame
4	122	Tarek Saleh	Linebacker	Wisconsin
6	187	Matt Finkes	Defensive end	Ohio State
7	228	Kris Mangum	Tight end	Mississippi
Made roster

^[2]

Personnel

Staff

1997 Carolina Panthers staff
	Front office Owner/Founder – Jerry Richardson President – Mark Richardson General Manager – Bill Polian Head coaches Head Coach – Dom Capers Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator – Joe Pendry Quarterbacks – John Shoop Running Backs – Chick Harris Wide Receivers – Richard Williamson Tight Ends – Don Breaux Offensive Line – Jim McNally Assistant Offensive Line – Blair Bush			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Vic Fangio Defensive Line – Ted Gill Linebackers – Kevin Steele Outside Linebackers – Billy Davis Defensive Backs – George Catavolos Defensive Quality Control – Greg Roman Special teams coaches Special Teams – Brad Seely Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Chip Morton Strength and Conditioning Assistant – Greg Roman

^[3]

Roster

1997 Carolina Panthers final roster
	Quarterbacks  7 Steve Beuerlein 12 Kerry Collins  9 Shane Matthews Running backs 21 Tim Biakabutuka 43 Scott Greene FB 23 Anthony Johnson 32 Fred Lane 20 Winslow Oliver Wide receivers 82 Michael Bates 84 Rae Carruth 81 Raghib Ismail 89 Ernie Mills 87 Muhsin Muhammad 80 Dwight Stone Tight ends 49 Luther Broughton 86 Kris Mangum 85 Wesley Walls		Offensive linemen 78 Blake Brockermeyer T 66 Matt Campbell G 52 Matt Elliott G/T 65 Frank Garcia C 60 Bucky Greeley C 63 Mark Rodenhauser C 75 Greg Skrepenak G 70 Todd Stewart T 73 Jamie Wilson T Defensive linemen 93 Mike Fox DE 71 Greg Kragen NT 69 Les Miller DE 95 Tim Morabito NT 98 Don Sasa DE 99 Ray Seals DE		Linebackers 54 Carlton Bailey ILB 53 Myron Baker ILB 56 Micheal Barrow OLB 55 Percell Gaskins LB 57 Lamar Lathon OLB 51 Sam Mills ILB 58 Andre Royal ILB 94 Tarek Saleh OLB 50 Kinnon Tatum ILB 97 Renaldo Turnbull OLB Defensive backs 24 Clifton Abraham CB 41 Toi Cook CB 37 Chad Cota SS 25 Eric Davis CB 30 Mike Minter FS 27 Damon Pieri S 38 Tyrone Poole CB 31 Rod Smith CB 40 Pat Terrell S Special teams  4 John Kasay K 13 Ken Walter P		Reserve lists 83 Mark Carrier WR (IR) 76 Norberto Davidds-Garrido T (IR) 35 Marvin Ham SS (IR) 96 Shawn King DE (IR) 88 Walter Rasby TE (IR) -- Marquette Smith RB (IR) Practice squad 72 Waverly Jackson DE Rookies in italics 53 Active, 5 Inactive, 1 Practice squad

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Results		Game site	Attendance
			Final score	Team record
1	August 31	Washington Redskins	L 10–24	0–1	Ericsson Stadium	72,633
2	September 7	at Atlanta Falcons	W 9–6	1–1	Georgia Dome	51,829
3	September 14	at San Diego Chargers	W 26–7	2–1	Qualcomm Stadium	63,149
4	September 21	Kansas City Chiefs	L 14–35	2–2	Ericsson Stadium	67,402
5	September 29	San Francisco 49ers	L 21–34	2–3	Ericsson Stadium	70,972
6	Bye
7	October 12	at Minnesota Vikings	L 14–21	2–4	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	62,625
8	October 19	at New Orleans Saints	W 13–0	3–4	Louisiana Superdome	50,963
9	October 26	Atlanta Falcons	W 21–12	4–4	Ericsson Stadium	54,675
10	November 2	Oakland Raiders	W 38–14	5–4	Ericsson Stadium	71,064
11	November 9	at Denver Broncos	L 0–34	5–5	Mile High Stadium	71,408
12	November 16	at San Francisco 49ers	L 19–27	5–6	3Com Park	61,500
13	November 23	at St. Louis Rams	W 16–10	6–6	Trans World Dome	64,609
14	November 30	New Orleans Saints	L 13–16	6–7	Ericsson Stadium	57,957
15	December 8	at Dallas Cowboys	W 23–13	7–7	Texas Stadium	63,251
16	December 14	Green Bay Packers	L 10–31	7–8	Ericsson Stadium	70,887
17	December 20	St. Louis Rams	L 18–30	7–9	Ericsson Stadium	58,101

Standings

NFC West
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
^(1) San Francisco 49ers	13	3	0	.813	375	265	L1
Carolina Panthers	7	9	0	.438	265	314	L2
Atlanta Falcons	7	9	0	.438	320	361	L1
New Orleans Saints	6	10	0	.375	237	327	L1
St. Louis Rams	5	11	0	.313	299	359	W1

References

1. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 373
2. "1997 Carolina Panthers draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
3. "Assistant Coaches". Panthers.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2014.