Here at Cat Scratch Reader we have counted down the final 100 days leading up to the Carolina Panthers season opener by for at least the past ten years. We’ve always done this by highlighting the current player on the roster whose jersey number matches the day on the countdown. This year, we decided to change that up a bit by counting down our own list of the Top 100 Panthers of all time. This does not correspond to jersey number, does not need to be somebody who wore a jersey, and will in no way be controversial.
#44. Stephen Davis
Running back is probably the most well represented position on this list except for maybe linebacker. Today’s running back of note is Stephen Davis, the first ever Carolina Panthers running back to start in a Super Bowl.
Davis, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, entered the NFL as a fourth round pick by Washington. He played as a fullback and backup running back for the first three years of his career before getting a chance at the lead back role in 1999. He took the position and ran with it, literally. He rushed for over 1,400 yards and scored a league high 17 touchdowns. He followed that with two more stellar seasons before injury troubles messed up his 2002 season.
Following that 2002 season, Davis signed with the Panthers to be the team’s starting running back ahead of DeShaun Foster, who was coming off a season ending injury prior to his rookie season. He was able to rediscover the magic that he found in Washington, rushing for 1,444 yards and eight touchdowns as the Panthers made an improbable run to the Super Bowl. He ran for 315 yards during the playoff run, though just 49 came in the Super Bowl as the Panthers went to the air in a game that got wildly out of control.
Unfortunately, Davis would end up being a one hit wonder of sorts for the Panthers. Injuries robbed him of all but two games in his second season in Carolina, and he struggled to bounce back for his third. He started ceding work to Foster as he limped to just 3.1 yards per carry in his third and final season in Carolina.
Davis spent one last season with the Rams before hanging up the cleats. When that time came, he signed a one day contract to retire as a Panther.
Davis only had one standout season in Carolina, but it feels like more than that given the timing. He was a central figure in the Cardiac Cats’ run to the Super Bowl, and that run perfectly coincided with his arrival. While it’s a shame that we didn’t get to see more of Davis at his best, we at least got that one season. And that’s enough to earn him spot number 44 on the list of top 100 Panthers of all time.
