CHARLOTTE — The last time Jalen Coker suited up for the Panthers in Bank of America Stadium, he put together a career performance.

Against the Rams in the wild card game, the then second-year Coker pulled in nine receptions on 12 targets for 134 yards and a touchdown. It was a special performance from an ascending player, one that would be talked about all offseason. Replicating it, much less surpassing it, in his next game would be unheard of, right?

But on Sunday, he did just that.

By game's end, Coker had posted a career-best in total yardage with 138 yards, his most in a game in the regular or postseason, and he'd posted the first multi-touchdown game of his career, bringing in two scores. He is the third player in team history with at least 130 receiving yards in consecutive games (Steve Smith in 2003 postseason and 2011 and Patrick Jeffers in 1999). He is also the first Panther with at least 135 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in a game since Steve Smith in Week 1,  2011 at Arizona.

"Yeah, I mean, personally it's great," Coker shrugged after the Panthers' 59-37 loss to the Bears in Week 1 of his career performance, "but you know, I want to win."

Most days, the Panthers offense putting up 37 points and 478 offensive yards would be enough to win. But the Bears and Caleb Williams were unstoppable with the ball, overshadowing the best Week 1 performance in Bryce Young's career and another red-letter day from Coker.

"I think we're going to stay tight as a unit," promised Coker. "I think we're just going to continue to build that connection and everything we do, we do together, and no one's going to raise their hand and say I did it. It's going to be a team collective effort, so we're going to continue to do that."

And while Coker might not want to brag on personal achievements after a loss, his teammates were sure to praise the former UDFA who notched his third game of 100-plus yards.

"Did the same thing he's been doing, be consistent, do a great job, creating separation after the catch," said Young. "A lot of stuff that doesn't show up on the stat sheet that he did a great job in the run game and setting stuff up. That's the player he is. That's the guy he is. So none of that was surprising at all."

Added running back Chuba Hubbard, "Another selfless guy, works his works his butt off, works his tail off, and obviously Bryce was slinging that thing today, so shout out to both of them. Coker's a great player and a great guy."

Coker has now caught the two longest touchdown passes in Bryce Young's career, and three of his four longest passes: an 83-yard touchdown versus the Cowboys in 2024, a 52-yard catch against the Rams in the 2025 wild card game, and Sunday's 51-yard touchdown.

The latter was a second-and-5 from the Panthers' 49-yard line. When Coker broke free deep down the left sideline, Young sent one deep, straight over Coker's shoulder and into the end zone for the touchdown.

He had already set up the first touchdown of the day with another aggressive run at the corner down the right sideline in the first quarter, hauling in Young's 26-yard pass inside the 5-yard line. By the end of the game, he'd bring in another, an 8-yard catch-and-run weaving around defenders to find the end zone.

"I think we've always been in a good rapport," said Coker of his connection with Young. "I think he throws it to me; it's my job to catch the ball, so that's what I try to do.

"I think it's just kind of through training camp, OTAs, just continuing to build that chemistry and then just catch the ball when it's thrown to me. That's my job, so I'm going to continue to do that."

The Panthers face a divisional opponent next week, traveling to Atlanta. The last time this team played there, Young had a career day with 448 yards passing, as did Tetairoa McMillan (eight receptions for 130 yards, two touchdowns), while Coker pulled in four catches for 52 yards.

Can they continue their stretch of career games?

"I think we're going to have to watch the film. I think we did a lot of good things though," said Coker. "I felt like we caught the ball well, rushed well, you know, I think it's just small things, small basic things that we need to work on, and we'll work on that tomorrow."