The Carolina Panthers opened preseason play with a solid victory over the Chicago Bears last week and now return home to face a familiar opponent. Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott served as the defensive coordinator under Ron Rivera in Carolina for six seasons prior to his promotion before the 2017 season.
The move led to many other connections between the two franchises, including multiple players who found a new home there after leaving the Panthers, earning Buffalo the moniker of ‘Carolina North’. Kelvin Benjamin, Derek Anderson, Joe Webb, and Mike Tolbert are all now gone but Star Lotulelei, Kurt Coleman, Dean Marlowe and the recently signed Captain Munnerlyn remain.