The 2002 season marked a rebirth of sorts for the Panthers, with two players who would become cornerstones of the offense and defense emerging.
On offense, it was Steve Smith, a second-year player who - at 5-foot-9, 179 pounds - desperately wanted to prove to the Panthers and the world that he was so much more than a diminutive kick returner.
On defense, it was rookie defensive end Julius Peppers. As the second overall pick in the previous spring's NFL draft, he wanted to prove he was worthy of being such a high selection by disproving those who doubted his ability to consistently disrupt opposing offenses.
It didn't take either of them long to begin accomplishing their goals.
Peppers got off to a fast start. In the season opener versus Baltimore, he deflected a pass thrown by Ravens quarterback Chris Redman with 1:27 remaining in the game that linebacker Dan Morgan intercepted to seal a 10-7 Carolina victory.
In the second game of the season - a 31-7 rout of the Detroit Lions - Peppers seemed to be everywhere all at once. In a thoroughly dominant first half, Peppers racked up three sacks and forced a fumble.
Peppers was so dominant, in fact, that defensive tackle Kris Jenkins said he actually started feeling a little sorry for the Detroit linemen assigned to block the 6-foot-6, 283-pound phenom.
"They had to keep adjusting, because he kept beating the snot out of whoever was trying to block him," Jenkins said.
For veteran tight end Wesley Walls, watching Peppers play brought back memories of the franchise's earlier days.
"I haven't seen guys flying around like that and making plays and being explosive like that on defense since '96," said Walls, referring to Carolina's run to the NFC Championship. "Lamar Lathon and Kevin Greene were coming off the edge in '96, and today you had Julius Peppers and Brenston Buckner and Mike Rucker and all those guys.
"It was fun to watch, and it just demoralizes the opposing offenses. They were getting frustrated. They couldn't do anything."
View photos from the Panthers 2002 season, the first with coach John Fox.
Carolina Panthers rookie defensive end Julius Peppers (90) nearly loses his helmet and rushes the passer Sept. 15, 2002 at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N. C. The Panthers defeated the Detroit Lions 31 - 7. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Newly named Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox smiles as he answers a question during a news conference in Charlotte, N.C., Friday Jan. 25, 2002. Fox, formerly the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, replaces George Seifert. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan (55) lines up Sept. 15, 2002 at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N. C. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete (9) prepares to throw a pass in the second quarter of the Panthers' 52-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Ericsson Stadium, in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Dec. 8, 2002. Peete went 21-for-29 for a season high 319 yards, four yards short of his career high, and three touchdowns. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox, right, and Brentson Buckner (99) celebrate Steve Smith's 87-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Panthers' 52-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Dec. 8, 2002. (AP Photo/Rusty Burroughs)
Carolina Panthers' Issac Byrd (82) falls into the end zone for a touchdown after catching a 31 yard pass in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Oct. 6, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, left, grabs a first-quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Rodney Peete in front of Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety John Lynch, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2002, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Martin)
Julius Peppers, of North Carolina, holds up a team jersey after being selected by the Carolina Panthers as their first pick, second overall, in the NFL Draft in New York. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)
Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, left, watches from the sidelines with head coach John Fox during the Panthers' game against the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 15, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers coach John Fox is doused by Terry Cousin in the closing moments of the Panthers' 31-7 win over the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers looks up at the clock during the fourth quarter of the team's 23-10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday Nov. 17, 2002 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Carolina Panthers tight end Wesley Walls (85) lines up Sept. 15, 2002 at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N. C. The Panthers defeated the Detroit Lions 31 - 7. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Don Fowlkes, left, of Danville, Va., waves a U.S. flag before the start of the Carolina Panthers game against the Baltimore Ravens in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers linebacker Mark Fields (58) celebrates sacking New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks (2), center, on ground (partially obscured), at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2002. The Panthers defeated the Saints, 10-6. On ground at right is Saints' Spencer Folau.(AP Photo/Doug Keese)
Carolina Panthers' Dee Brown (22) runs past several Chicago Bears players for a two yard touchdown in the second quarter at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Dec. 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)
Chicago Bears quarterback Chris Chandler (12) is sacked by Carolina Panthers' Mike Rucker (93) in the second quarter at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday Dec. 22, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) runs past his team's bench as he carries a punt return 61 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete prepares to throw a pass in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2002. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Randy Fasani (12) is sacked by Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Simeon Rice in the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers' 12-9 win in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete (9) looks to throw a pass in the second quarter against the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002. Peete passed for 310 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 31-7 win. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Amos Zereoue (21) is hauled down after a fourth-quarter gain by Carolina Panthers' Will Witherspoon (54) and Brad Jackson (50) Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers beat the Panthers 30-14. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Carolina Panthers fullback Brad Hoover (45) runs into the end zone between Dallas Cowboys cornerback Derek Ross (20) and linebacker Keith Adams (53) on a 25-yard touchdown pass play in the first quarter Sunday, Oct. 13, 2002, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes under pressure from Carolina Panthers Al Wallace (96) while Patriots Matt Light (72) tries to protect during first quarter preseaon NFL action in Foxboro, Mass. Friday, August 23, 2002. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, right, and Carolina Panthers coach John Fox, left, talk after the Redskins defeated the Panthers 37-30 on Saturday Aug. 10, 2002, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
Carolina Panthers safety Mike Minter, right, runs an interception back 40 yards for a touchdown as Emmmanuel McDaniel, left, follows in the third quarter against the Detroit Lions in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002. The Panthers won 31-7. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete (9) embraces coach John Fox after the Panthers defeated the Baltimore Ravens 10-7 in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 8, 2002. It was the first Panthers win since last season's opening game and gave Fox a win in his head coaching debut. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Carolina Panthers' Emmanuel McDaniel (25) breaks up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Joey Galloway (84) in the third quarter Sunday, Oct. 12, 2002, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Carolina Panthers tight end Kris Mangum (86) and his teammates celebrate as they take the field with less than two minutes left in the game when the Minnesota Vikings failed to convert on a fourth down play during the fourth quarter Sunday, Sept. 22, 2002 in Minneapolis. The Panthers beat the Vikings 21-14.(AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)
Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith raises the ball as he returns a punt 87 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Panthers' 52-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Smith, struggling on and off the field in a disappointing second season, scored three touchdowns, two on punt returns, and had a career-high 313 total yards. (AP Photo/Rusty Burroughs)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Rodney Peete (9) hugs Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre following their game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2002, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 17-14. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Carolina Panthers' DeShaun Foster (20) runs past Dallas Cowboys players Darren Woodson (28) and Kevin Hardy (51) for a 27-yard gain in the second quarter at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday Aug. 17, 2002. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
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While Peppers established himself early in the season and Smith was effective as a receiver early on as well, Smith's breakout game didn't come until later - when the Panthers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the 13th game of the season.
The Panthers had just ended an eight-game losing streak a week earlier after beginning the season a promising 3-0. During the losing streak, the offense struggled and was shutout twice.
Then the Bengals came to town - and Smith went to town on their secondary.
On a day when the Panthers scored seven touchdowns to equal their total output from the previous eight games, Smith caught five passes for 144 yards and one touchdown on a 31-yard pass. And that wasn't all. As if to emphasize that he could still return kicks, Smith returned a punt 87 yards for yet another touchdown in a 52-31 victory.
This was Smith's coming-out party.
"Things like this come at times when you don't expect it," Smith said after his breakout performance.
Smith finished the year with a team-leading 872 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 54 catches. Suddenly, no one was saying he couldn't play receiver in the NFL any longer.
Peppers, meanwhile, ended his rookie season with a team-high 12 sacks and earned the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. First-year head coach John Fox said Peppers was very deserving of the award. "I have been pretty blessed to be around some good players as an assistant coach, but Julius would have to rival some of the best I have seen."
The rest was about to become history. It was only the beginning for these two who went on to become the Panthers' all-time leaders in receiving and sacks.
