By: Senior NFL Beat Writer | January 5, 2026

CHARLOTTE, NC – For the first time in a decade, the road to the Super Bowl runs through Uptown Charlotte.

The waiting game is officially over. After a Sunday of scoreboard watching, tiebreaker calculating, and nail-biting finishes, the Carolina Panthers have not only punched their ticket to the postseason but have also received their official marching orders from the league office.

The NFL announced the official schedule for Super Wild Card Weekend late Sunday night, confirming that the Panthers’ return to the playoff stage will kick off the entire postseason slate.

The details every Panthers fan needs to lock in are as follows:

• Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, January 10, 2026

• Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

• Broadcast: FOX and official NFL streaming platforms

• Opponent: Los Angeles Rams

This Saturday afternoon showdown marks the Panthers’ first playoff appearance since the 2015 season, a campaign that famously ended in a Super Bowl run. For a generation of fans who have only known rebuilding years and quarterback carousels, this game represents a seismic shift in the franchise’s trajectory. Charlotte is once again in the NFL spotlight, and the stakes have never been higher.

The Unlikely Hosts: “Kings of the South”

The path to this moment was anything but conventional. The Panthers enter the tournament as one of the most polarizing teams in recent memory. Despite finishing the regular season with a sub-.500 record of 8-9, Carolina clinched the NFC South title through a dramatic and chaotic tiebreaker scenario.

The team’s fate was sealed not just by their own efforts, but by the Atlanta Falcons’ victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 18, a result that swung the division doors wide open for Carolina. By virtue of winning the division, the Panthers secured the No. 4 seed and the coveted right to host a playoff game, making them one of the lowest winning percentage division champions in NFL history.

However, inside the locker room, the record is irrelevant. The “0-0” mentality of the playoffs has taken hold.

“We know what people are saying,” said a team source regarding the national narrative surrounding their record. “But you have to win your division to get a home game, and we did that. We earned the right to play in front of our fans.”

That reality has fueled a fearless mindset within the squad. With home-field advantage secured and a “Keep Pounding” crowd that has been starved for postseason success for ten years, the Panthers enter Saturday with a clear “nobody believes in us” narrative and absolutely nothing to lose.

The Opponent: A 12-Win Juggernaut

While the Panthers are playing with house money, their opponents are playing with the weight of expectation. The Los Angeles Rams arrive in Charlotte boasting an impressive 12-5 record, a mark that would usually guarantee a home playoff game. However, due to the NFL’s seeding rules prioritizing division winners, the Rams enter as a Wild Card team and are forced to travel across the country to face a team with four fewer wins.

Head Coach Sean McVay brings a high-powered, battle-tested offense to Bank of America Stadium. Led by veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ attack is a well-oiled machine supported by some of the league’s most dangerous weapons.

The matchup presents a significant challenge for the Panthers’ secondary, particularly with the news that Rams superstar receiver Davante Adams has returned from injury. Pairing Adams with the electric Puka Nacua gives Stafford two elite targets capable of wrecking a game plan in a single quarter.

The Rematch: Psychological Warfare

Despite the disparity in records, the Panthers possess a crucial psychological edge: they have done this before.

The Rams have not forgotten their trip to Charlotte in Week 13, a game that ended in a stunning 31-28 upset victory for the Panthers. That game served as a microcosm of the Panthers’ scrappy identity and stands as a clear warning to pundits writing them off.

“They know we can beat them,” a Panthers fan noted on social media following the announcement. “They came into our house a month ago and left with a loss. Saturday will be no different.”

That Week 13 upset proved that when the Panthers are clicking, they can compete with the NFC’s elite. It transformed what looks like a mismatch on paper into a game rife with tension. For the Rams, this trip to Charlotte will be anything but comfortable.

The Spotlight on Bryce Young

Ultimately, the game may come down to the right arm—and the nerves—of Bryce Young.

Saturday represents a “high risk moment” for the young quarterback. After navigating a season filled with scrutiny, coaching changes, and development curves, Young now faces the brightest lights of his professional career.

Playoff football is a different beast. The windows are tighter, the hits are harder, and the mistakes are magnified. All eyes will be on Young to see if he can channel the composure he showed in Week 13 and lead his team to a victory that would shock the football world.

The Battle Begins

The stage is set. The time is locked. At 4:30 p.m. this Saturday, the sterile statistics of the regular season will be wiped away. It won’t matter that the Rams won 12 games or that the Panthers won 8. All that will matter is who plays better for 60 minutes.

For the city of Charlotte, the 10-year wait is over. The battle begins now. Keep Pounding.