NFL teams
David Newton, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Ultimate Standings: Panthers are best team in NFL

NFL, Carolina Panthers

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Carolina Panthers

Overall: 3
Title track: 31
Ownership: 14
Coaching: 10
Players: 4
Fan relations: 7
Affordability: 36
Stadium experience: 21
Bang for the buck: 1
Change from last year: +21

It's amazing what a 15-1 regular-season record, a trip to the Super Bowl and having the league MVP will do for your franchise. The Panthers moved from an overall rating in the mid-20s the past two years to No. 3 overall, the highest ranking by an NFL team. The jump in players from No. 35 to No. 4 tells you the story. Carolina has two of the league's marquee stars in quarterback Cam Newton and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. Good news: They're both signed long-term, so this rating shouldn't change much in the coming years.


What's good

Carolina's lineup, led by Newton and Kuechly, is star-studded and ranks fourth overall in our rankings. A league-best 10 Panthers were selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015. Newton obviously is the highest profile player after an MVP season, but others, such as 2014 NFL Man of the Year Thomas Davis and two-time Pro Bowl selection Greg Olsen, are starting to garner attention because of the team's success. The culture that coach Ron Rivera -- up 40 spots from last year to 10th overall -- and general manager Dave Gettleman have developed the past three years is starting to pay dividends on and off the field. Few teams have as many players engaged in their community.


What's bad

Affordability is about the only negative you can find -- and the Panthers are still among the least expensive franchises in the NFL (Carolina's average ticket price, $78 in 2015, is cheaper than that of 22 other franchises). Even the Panthers' lowest ranking is four spots better than a year ago, and thanks to those 15 wins, their bang for the buck jumped from 16th last year to the best in all of sports.


What's new

Rivera's 40-spot jump isn't surprising, considering his team reached the Super Bowl and he won Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons. Stadium experience took an even bigger leap, rising 42 spots, thanks to an $87.5 million upgrade to Bank of America Stadium, including the addition of escalators and improved concessions. Self-serving soft drinks added this year might make for another leap in 2017. Even ownership took a major jump, from No. 34 to No. 14. Team founder Jerry Richardson is finally getting from others the respect he has had league-wide since the Panthers were formed in 1995.

Next: Green Bay PackersĀ | Full rankings

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