The Carolina Panthers have delivered their share of curveballs at the halfway point.
They’re sitting on a winning record for the first time through nine games since 2019. A defense that surrendered 3,057 rushing yards last season —nearly 700 more than the next closest team — somehow clawed its way back to the middle of the league.
But none of those surprises come close to the wildfire taking over Carolina’s season. After being signed this offseason to a one-year, $2.75 million deal, Rico Dowdle has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Rico Dowdle is spearheading the Carolina Panthers' surprising renaissance
Across the 2025 season, he has 735 rushing yards (fourth in the NFL) while averaging 5.