Key Highlights
- They became the first team to make the NFL playoffs with a losing record twice. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Panthers finished the 2025 season with an 8-9 record, but thanks to tiebreakers being in their favor over the 8-9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 8-9 Atlanta Falcons, Carolina is playoff-bound. The last time the Panthers made the playoffs was in 2014 after winning the NFC South with a 7-8-1 record.
- That year, Carolina beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-16, before losing to the Seattle Seahawks 31-17 in the Divisional Round.
- This year, the Panthers will welcome the Los Angeles Rams back to Charlotte, NC, for a wild-card matchup.
- Carolina beat Los Angeles in Week 13. Here is more on how the Panthers made the 2026 NFL playoffs despite an 8-9 losing record. MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:SN's expert predictions for NFL playoffs, Super Bowl 60Full NFL playoff scheduleUpdated NFL playoff bracketWild-card picks, predictionsNFL playoff power rankings, 1-14AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhy are Panthers in the playoffs at 8-9?The Panthers are in the playoffs with a losing record for the second time in their history.
- Carolina made the 2014 postseason after going 7-8-1 in the regular season. Despite the 8-9 record, the Panthers benefited from poor results from their division mates.
