text: 2002 season Fox looked to the 2002 NFL draft to begin revamping the franchise, starting with the second overall pick; defensive end Julius Peppers. Peppers was a dominating defensive end at the University of North Carolina and he was a solid fit for Fox's defensive plan. The Panthers also picked up linebacker Will Witherspoon and running back DeShaun Foster in the draft. Peppers combined with fellow defensive end Mike Rucker and defensive tackles Brentson Buckner and Kris Jenkins to form what many football experts at the time called the best defensive line in the game. Meanwhile, safety Mike Minter anchored the secondary, while Witherspoon (affectionately called "Spoon" by fans and teammates) and Mark Fields led the linebacker corps. Veteran Rodney Peete led the offense at quarterback. Fox's defense-first philosophy worked well as the Panthers improved to 7–9 (a six-game improvement over the previous year) and posted the league's second-best overall defense, including allowing a league-low 3.69 yards per rushing attempt.
  After spending their first seven seasons in the geographically inaccurate NFC West, the Panthers were realigned to the new NFC South division for the 2002 season. They were joined by original division rivals Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who moved over from the NFC Central.
  2003 season: The Cardiac Cats