Why the Panthers as the last preseason game?

This is like the 16th year in a row or something, anyone know why? Kinda strange they don't mix it up? Or am I just crazy?

 

Ummmm, because they are close and not an inner conference team?

 

Probably a Goodell conspiracy. I'm sure it must benefit the Pats in some way.



Wikipedia says:
Teams with close personal ties often play each other. The Steelers and the Panthers, since 1995, close out their preseason together despite a 450-mile distance between Pittsburgh and Charlotte.[5] There are numerous Pittsburgh-area ties to the Panthers organisation, including former head coach John Fox (a former assistant at Pitt and the Steelers), ex-Steeler linebackers Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene finishing out their careers at Carolina, and former Steelers safety Donnie Shell having served as the Panthers Director of Player Development since the team's inception. On the flip side, former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher attended N.C. State and currently lives in Raleigh. Former Steelers players Willie Parker and Jeff Reed both attended UNC. This also reflects on the increasing number of Western Pennsylvania natives in relocating to the Carolinas. Similarly, the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions play each other annually in the preseason, since the late Bills owner Ralph Wilson was a native of Detroit and at one point owned a share of the Lions. In addition, both Buffalo and Detroit are the only NFL cities that border Canada, with each city located on opposite sides of Southern Ontario.

 

Wow Thiggy, just wow! I wonder if this is what you find when you respond to one of those spam emails that says: "Find out anything about anyone!" I know you just copied and pasted but even finding this answer is something. Great work there Sir.

 

Why? Because their are no bones in Ice Cream

 

This is the one preseason game I don't watch, scrubs playing.

 

The same reason the Chargers play the 9ers every year?

 

I still watch it because some of those players are literally playing to make the roster. But that is it; there is no other reason to watch as it is not indicative of anything other than maybe who has the better 3rd string, if that.

 

It's one of the great mysteries of life. No one can really answer it.

 

That is weird for sure. We have already converted part of S. Carolina into Steeler country. It must be a plan, lol.

 

I thought it was because the Rooneys are close friends with the Panthers owners.

 

Not so.

 

I'm just trying to figure why they still play 4 or 5 preseason games. Just go to an 18 game season all ready and be done with it.

 

And then it would take 6 weeks instead of the usual 4 for the Steelers to play competent football. Steelers always play crappy in September. When they do win... it's ugly as hell.

It's been this way since the Cowher days.

 

The teams themselves organize preseason games, or most of them as I understand it. So you have two franchises, reasonably close, that don't play each other very often - and don't have much accumulated hatred or baggage to complicate things. Kind of an ideal preseason match up.


The Steelers and Washington play each other a lot during preseason, probably for the same reason.

 

yep, they're close so its cheaper.

 

Awwww horse**** my kid swears she choked on one in rocky road hahaha

 

Jerry Richardson and Dan Rooney were good friends. So they agreed to keep playing years ago.

 

I THINK it is because when the panthers started. Dom Capers our DC. He was the 1st Carolina head coach. Just my thoughts.

 

It doesn't matter who we play in the preseason, it's just a dress rehearsal for rookies and backups anyway and nothing more than that............

 

You're not crazy. I remember when it seemed like Detroit was always on the preseason schedule in the 80s and 90s

 

Probably bc its non divisional rivals?? The alternate where they play as well.

 

Tepper is going to own the Panthers soon.

 

This started under Cowher. He's from and/or lives in NC, right? Maybe there was mutual interest, it's close, non conference, and the game means nothing. Silly tradition.