Predicting How Many Primetime Games the Panthers Will Have in 2026

The Carolina Panthers haven't been a prominent primetime NFL team in a long time. They also haven't been relevant in a long time, which always hurts their chances. But this year may be different, and there might be a few primetime games on the schedule reveal later this week.

Predicting which Panthers' matchups might land on primetime

There are a lot of factors that determine primetime games. First, if a team is good or popular, they will be on national television plenty. The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a six-win season, but they'll be back on primetime plenty. The Seattle Seahawks will be after winning it all, too.

The Panthers aren't that, and they don't really have anyone that national audiences are begging to watch. However, most teams do get at least one matchup regardless of any of that. And it's important to remember that the Panthers aren't the only team in the matchup.

The Panthers play the Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles. Each of those teams figures to be featured on national TV plenty. The Panthers could benefit.

Carolina is a playoff team, even if they're considered the worst of the 2025 bunch. The world saw what they could be in that playoff game, so they're certainly not persona non grata for the NFL schedule-makers.

In 2025, after a five-win season, they ended up with two primetime games. That number should rise to three or four, but it won't go any higher than that. An 8-9 playoff team doesn't warrant much more than that.

We expect the Seahawks' matchup to be on primetime. Sam Darnold versus his former team and a matchup between reigning NFC division champions is a good bet for a Monday night contest or something.

The Panthers will probably have a late rivalry game with a potential NFC South contender put on Sunday Night Football in Weeks 16-18. Since the Saints and Falcons are relative unknowns, we predict that the final Bucs-Panthers contest will be a primetime game like it was in 2025.

The matchup between the Panthers and Eagles (former Alabama QBs on center stage) will also get a primetime spot. That's probably all since there aren't really any narratives that apply to the other potential matchups.

One wild card: Panthers at Steelers. Rico Dowdle had a terrific revenge game against the Dallas Cowboys last season, and he's likely to want revenge against the Panthers, and that could be intriguing enough to throw on a Thursday night.

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