The Carolina Panthers got a taste of playoff football for the first time since 2017 when they won the NFC South a year ago. In Dave Canales' second season, the Panthers are are on the right track in officially turning it all around. 

Despite the loss, the Panthers were able to give the Los Angles Rams a scare. The Panthers almost pulled off a big upset but can now use this as a stepping stone going into 2026. 

As the Panthers are back for offseason workouts, the message from quarterback Bryce Young is a simple one. 

They can't take their foot off the gas and let up. 

After reaching the playoffs, the Panthers are hoping for more in the 2026 season.

Getting there may not be enough, but instead winning a playoff game should be the goal. And Young knows they can't get complacent. 

“Obviously, we want to make sure that we can be consistent with some of the positives from last year,” Bryce Young said via NFL.com. “But, also, we understand that last year was last year. This is a new season. We all start 0-0. There’s no carryover. We’re not entitled to anything.”

“So, I’m super grateful for that being our mindset as a team,” Young said. “Everyone knows we can’t take our foot off the gas. We have to work just as hard, if not harder, as we have these last few years. Everything is earned, and now is not the time to be thinking about records or anything like that. It’s just about the work.”

While the Panthers made the playoffs, they did win arguably the worst division in football last season. That has to be stated. 

There's also the fact that the NFL is a league full of parity and it's not guaranteed that the Panthers get back to the playoffs or even win the NFC South like they did last year. 

But this is a team that has improved this offseason and if they can take a step forward, it should mean good things for this franchise in the long run.