text: 2010 season The Panthers lost several key players during the 2010 off-season from previous seasons, including QB Jake Delhomme, defensive end Julius Peppers, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, and cornerback Dante Wesley. Their most notable draft pick was Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who eventually started 10 games during the season. Matt Moore started at QB when the Panthers lost in New York in Week 1, and then fell to Tampa Bay. The 0–2 team benched Moore and installed Clausen as starting QB. After suffering further defeats against Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Chicago, Carolina entered its bye week at 0–5. Moore was brought out as starter again in Week 7 and the Panthers got their first win by defeating San Francisco 23–20. Following another seven-game losing streak, in which Moore was eventually placed on injured reserve, Clausen lead the Panthers to their second win, a 19–12 victory over the Cardinals. In the end, the Panthers finished the season with a record of 2–14 and a last place finish in the NFC South. This marked the team's worst record since 2001 and the worst record in the league that season. However, the team's last-place finish gave them the number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
  Ron Rivera era: 2011–2019
  After a disappointing 2010 season, John Fox was fired along with most of his coaching staff 24 hours after the regular season concluded. A few months later, the Panthers hired Ron Rivera as the fourth head coach in Panther history. Rivera was previously the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears and the San Diego Chargers and in 2006 helped the Bears reach Super Bowl XLI.
  2011 season: Cam Newton's rookie year