CHARLOTTE — A'Shawn Robinson keeps his replica Super Bowl trophy in a case in his home office, set to the side so as not to be a focus, but a subtle reminder of the payoff when one reaches the mountaintop.

Austin Corbett's is on the bookshelf in his office, amongst all his awards, from his high school Hall of Fame recognition to his NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award from the Carolina Panthers; the office near the front door of his home, "which is always interesting when, like an electrician or someone, walks in and is like, 'Is that Lombardi?'"

Dave Canales tucks his into the nook that surrounds his computer at home, always in his peripheral vision as he watches Panthers film, settled on the shelf with champagne bottles from the two NFC championships the Seahawks won while he was on staff.

"I'll have to make room to add more," he smiles.

Christian Rozeboom and Nick Scott sheepishly admit their respective Lombardis are in boxes either at their house or their in-laws', staying safe until they are in a more permanent home, although Scott does want to clarify it used to live on a prominent shelf in the dining room at his former home in L.A.

Tershawn Wharton keeps his on a shelf at home as well, and brings his Super Bowl ring out on occasion for motivation, and might possibly do so again for Saturday's wild card game, but isn't saying yet: "I got to keep some stuff a secret."

Bobby Brown III didn't order a replica because "I was just a rookie and didn't play much," but his ring is safe at home. He doesn't look at it often because it's from a season four years ago, and he's focused on the now.

Passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley has his positioned as the centerpiece on his shoe wall at home, while defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero's is on the bookcase in his bedroom.

"So it sits up there, and so I see it just about every day," Evero reminisced on Wednesday. "And it's certainly inspiring because once you get a taste of that, you want to get some more."

It's not hard to pinpoint the psychological purpose of placing the physical manifestation of achieving the ultimate goal in their sport in their daily line of sight, and how it can shape a player's and a coach's motivation. It's why the Panthers moved their NFC championship trophies to the front lobby, so the team and staff would have to pass them every day, a reminder encased in glass.

"I think it's an understanding of everything you do from this moment on is to etch your name in football history forever," preached a passionate Corbett this week.

"When you win a Super Bowl, your name is a part of football history forever. This league is a league of forward movement, of being able to move on to the next person, next man up. It doesn't matter who you are; you're going to age out of this league at some point.

"But if you win a Super Bowl, you're a part of this league forever. There's no greater thing you can do. Every time I see the Lombardi at my house, I see the ring, it's for forever, and so it's understanding that these guys have a chance to be a part of this league forever."

As the Carolina Panthers prepare to play in their first postseason since 2017 and host their first playoff game since 2015, they're tapping into those six players—five from their time with the Rams and Wharton from the Kansas City Chiefs—and handful of coaches that have the Lombardis at home (or at least in a box at their in-laws) to share what comes next.

"It's a possibility," said Canales earlier this week, as to having some of those guys speak to the team directly about the elephant in the room. "Before the game, maybe lean on some of those guys who have that experience, who've been there and to feel what it feels like.

"I would expect the message is going to be pretty consistent, you know; can we find our best football? Can we play with that energy? Can we play together? The teams that play together, that play the best football, are the ones that have success in the postseason, and so, hopefully that'll be the message from the guys."

What it feels like, to be fair, is often a heady, enrapturing, emotional affair with all the pageantry befitting the theater of sports. If one isn't careful, it becomes overwhelming. As simple as it sounds, for most of those who have pushed through every round of the playoffs to reach the pinnacle, deliver a message that preaches just that.

"At the end of the day, we're just playing football, so I just tell them, it's football. And like everyone knows the magnitude of this, but you can't worry about those variables of that stuff," said Robinson. "You've got to play the game that we play right now, and we play in the regular season, we play in the preseason, and all since we play in college and since we're kids."

Added Rozeboom, "I think just being in the playoffs, just telling the guys, it's the same game we've been playing, but it's just an increased sense of urgency, and you really just have to buy in each day and keep fighting for another day together, otherwise it'll be done.

"You just don't want any regrets on things you maybe should have done throughout the week to prepare better for the game."

There is also the understanding, though, that this is a special game, a special moment, a pinnacle that only half the league reaches each season, and one that is never, ever a guarantee. As mentioned, the Panthers themselves haven't been in this position—hosting a home playoff game—in a decade. And to be frank, it's happening sooner than many thought possible in a rebuilding era.

That's why, as Evero points out, while it's important to treat the time between the whistles as a game, to still appreciate the fight it took to get here, and the fight required to stay.

"I was very, very blessed in so many of my previous stops," shared Evero. "A lot of success in San Francisco. We went to the playoffs multiple times there, Super Bowl, NFC championship games, same thing even when my first job in Tampa Bay; the Packers, we went to the NFC championship game, my only year there, a lot of success obviously with the Rams, and so, the one thing I realized after the last four years is that it's you can't take it for granted.

"It's very, very, very difficult to get to this position and, despite all the success I had in my previous stops, this is a very, very hard thing to accomplish to get to the playoffs and to have success there.

"So, I have a lot of gratitude just to be able to do this and be on a team that with great players and great coaches that strive for excellence and did a heck of a job of putting it all together and getting us to this moment. Now we want to take advantage of it, but I do have a lot of appreciation for the difficulty of what we've accomplished so far and what we strive to accomplish, and then also excitement about what we can do moving forward."

What they can do moving forward remains to be seen, but it starts Saturday. With five former Super Bowl champions facing their former team, the quintet is now leading the Panthers—along with Wharton and coaches—guiding a young team through the exhilarating minefield that is the playoffs.

"I mean, it's a tremendous blessing, and I'm very grateful for that opportunity that I had (in L.A.) and able to reach that mountain top, but I'm just looking forward now," promised Scott. "I'm here now, and I think we got a tremendous opportunity. Just winning the South and getting to this point where we have a foot in the door, that's all you need in the playoffs. Anything can happen. Everybody's 0-0."

Even as a significant underdog, facing a team among the favorites to win the Super Bowl with an MVP candidate at quarterback, even knowing they'll have to do one of the hardest things in football and beat the same team twice, those who have been there know anything is possible. That, more than any other message, is what they're sharing in the locker room this week.

"It's awesome. I don't care how you get in the playoffs. You get in there, and you run, you get a home playoff game, that's all that matters," said Corbett. "You got to win your division. That's what it takes care of, and that's what you play for. So, it doesn't matter how; it's fine. We're here now. We get a home playoff game, and it's time to roll."