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.
#16. Jonathan Stewart
If there’s one position group that’s always been a strength of the Carolina Panthers, it’s running back. That’s in large part due to the fact that the franchise has historically over-invested in the position, but at least they’ve gotten strong returns for those investments. A quintessential example of that is Jonathan Stewart, who comes in as the highest ranked running back on our list.
The Panthers used a first round pick (13th overall) on Stewart despite having used a first round pick on current starter DeAngelo Williams just two years prior. While the allocation of resources was definitely not the most efficient, it did create one of if not the most memorable player duo in the team’s history. He and Williams combined to form Double Trouble. Stewart racked up 836 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie despite splitting time with Williams. In Stewart’s second season, Williams missed a couple games due to injury, and that allowed both to top 1,100 rushing yards for the season. It remains the only time that’s been done in the history of the NFL, and I’d venture to guess that record is pretty safe for the foreseeable future.
Stewart would continue to split carries with Williams until the latter was let go by Dave Gettleman in one of many high-animosity moves. That finally gave Stewart the backfield mostly to himself for the first time in his career, and he responded with two seasons in which he would have been well on pace to top 1,000 yards had he not missed a couple games each season due to injury. The Panthers continued their trend of over-investing in the position by drafting McCaffrey in the first round of the 2017 draft after those two seasons from Stewart. Stewart served as the veteran battering ram while the shifty McCaffrey got up to speed with the NFL.
Stewart was let go after the 2018 season due to his diminishing play and role along with some cap relief. He went on to sign for the Giants, but he only carried the ball six times before a foot injury ended his season and ultimately his career.
Jonathan Stewart has maintained a central figure around the Panthers since his retirement. He’s often involved in promotional material from the team and is all over the place on social media and in local events talking about the team. While he didn’t have some of the peaks that DeAngelo Williams and Christian McCaffrey had, his longevity and tight bond with the organization earn him the highest ranking among running backs and the number 16 spot on the top 100 Panthers of all time.
