Derrick Brown believes this season will allow the Carolina Panthers an opportunity to prove that they’re not the same old Carolina Panthers.
Well, “same old” is kind of putting it mildly—as the fifth-year defensive tackle had this to say in an interview with Gabe McDonald of Charlotte Sports Live this past Wednesday . . .
#Panthers DL Derrick Brown keeping it 100 when discussing the team’s mindset heading into the 2024 campaign.
“We gotta go out and prove to everybody that this not the Panthers no more, the old sorry ass Panthers. We gotta go out there and do what we gotta do.”
Full interview… pic.twitter.com/nbxJRZJBxb
— Gabe McDonald (@GabeMcDonald_) July 24, 2024
Brown, who has yet to experience a winning season as a Panther, was asked about that very comment following the third practice of training camp this morning.
“I think it started the first day we reported for OTAs,” he said of the team’s mindset on improving. “I think the tone was set by Coach [Dave] Canales and Coach E [Ejiro Evero]. We’re gonna do the things, we’re gonna have a way and we’re gonna live and abide by that way. Nobody’s resisted that, everybody’s bought in.
“And for us to be able to go out there and change the reputation . . . you don’t wanna be ranked the 32nd team out of 32 teams, in no way possible. For us to go out here and be an actual contender and be able to compete—that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Carolina ranked 32nd out of the 32 NFL teams this past season in the most important category—wins. Their 2-15 record not only tied matched a franchise record of 15 losses, but was also tied for the worst 17-game finish in league history.
Brown’s status entering 2024 will be quite different, as he’s earned his first Pro Bowl selection as well as a massive four-year, $96 million extension since playing his last down. So hopefully for him, the status of the lowly Panthers is also on the rise.
