Carolina wraps up the 2025 preseason as the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to the Queen City to take on the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, August 21.
The Panthers come into the matchup following a 20-3 loss to the Texans in Houston while the Steelers fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-14.
Carolina enters the season led by second-year head coach Dave Canales. The Panthers finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record, good for third in the NFC South.
Pittsburgh wrapped up the 2024 season with a 10-7 record, finishing second in the AFC North. They fell to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Head Coach Mike Tomlin enters his 19th season at the helm for the Steelers. He carries a 183-107-2 record as their head coach.
This will mark the 23rd preseason matchup between the two clubs, with the Steelers having a slight edge in the series, leading 12-10.
The Matchup
About Carolina
- The Panthers fell to the Texans, 20-3, in week two of the preseason. Fourth-round pick RB Trevor Etienne led Carolina in carries with seven. He finished with 18 rushing yards and had one catch for 17 yards. The Georgia product also added two kick returns for 45 yards (22.5 avg.) and had a fair catch on a punt. Undrafted rookie RB Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams paced the Panthers with 27 rushing yards on five carries (9.4 avg.).
- WR Brycen Tremayne finished as Carolina’s leading receiver, catching three passes for 46 yards (15.3 avg.). Tremayne had a long of 23 yards, which was also the longest pass play of the day for the Panthers.
- S Demani Richardson and LB Jacoby Windmon led the Panthers in tackles, each with six. Richardson had five solo tackles while five of Windom’s six tackles came against the run, the most of any Panthers’ defender.
- CBs Corey Thornton and Akayleb Evans allowed the lowest catch percentage of any defensive backs who saw two or more targets. Evans allowed no catches on two targets. Thornton allowed two catches on five targets, a 40% catch rate.
- LB Christan Rozeboom recorded his first sack as a Panther, bringing down QB CJ Stroud for a loss of a yard in the first quarter. Five Panthers defenders recorded at least one quarterback hit with rookie OLB Princely Umanmielen leading the way with two. Umanmielen leads Carolina with three quarterback hits this preseason.
- Earlier this week the Panthers signed UFL MVP quarterback Bryce Perkins. With starting signal caller Bryce Young and backup Andy Dalton not playing, Perkins and second year QB Jack Plummer out of Louisville will take all of the snaps.
About Pittsburgh
- The Steelers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-14, at Acrisure Stadium on a last second field goal in their second preseason game.
- The Steelers were without a good chunk of their starters against the Buccaneers. Tomlin chose to sit multiple players, including T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, DeShon Elliott, and Patrick Queen on the defensive side. On offense, Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Jaylen Warren and Isaac Seumalo also didn’t play.
- Mason Rudolph started for the second straight week, while Skylar Thompson stepped in as his backup. Logan Woodside took over at quarterback at the end of the third quarter.
- Rudolph finished the game completing three of five passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. He also had one carry for seven yards. Thompson finished the night completing 10 of 15 passes for 113 yards, and three carries for eight yards.
- Cornerback Jalen Ramsey be in black and gold for the first time on Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers. Ramsey, who was acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins, will play along with the rest of the secondary.
Connections
Panthers S Nick Scott (2014-18) and SA Jim Caldwell (1986-92) both spent time at Penn State.
Steelers LB Eku Leota (Asheville), LB Payton Wilson (Hillsborough), DT Domenique Davis (Laurinburg) and LB Alex Highsmith (Wilmington) all grew up in North Carolina while QB Mason Rudolph (Rock Hill) is from South Carolina. Wilson also attended NC State (2018-23) while RBs Eddie Faulkner (2013-18) and OLs Pat Meyer (2000-06) both coached for the Wolfpack. CB Kyler McMichael (2019-21), LB Cole Holcomb (2014-18), OC Arthur Smith (2002-06) and OA Matt Baker all spent time at UNC-Chapel Hill (2002-05), and DC Teryl Austin coached defensive backs at Wake Forest (1993-95). Davis played at UNC-Pembroke (2017-19) while Highsmith (2015-19) and LB Julius Welschof (2023) spent time at Charlotte. STC Danny Smith was grad assistant at Clemson (1979) and The Citadel (1984-86). aOL Isaac Williams spent one season on the coaching staff at NC Central (2021). DQC Jason Brooks coached at Charleston Southern (2019-20).
Panthers vs Steelers
All-Time Series (Preseason): 22 matchups | Pittsburgh leads 12-10
Last Preseason Game: 8/27/05 | Pittsburgh 9 at Carolina 34
Preseason Series Record In Charlotte: 10 matchups | Series is tied 5-5
How to Watch
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. ET Queen City News: Play by Play – Anish Shrof; Analyst – Jake Delhomme; Analyst – Steve Smith; Sideline – Carla Metts
Radio: WRFX 99.7FM in Charlotte market – Play by Play – Jim Szoke; Analyst – Kurt Coleman; Analyst – Kevin Donnalley; Sideline – Kristen Balboni
Per Release