Bryce Young Jersey Number: Carolina Panthers Retired Numbers and Who Wears What

This guide covers Carolina's retired number and the numbers fans buy in 2026. It does not cover the NFL's position rules, which have their own guide.

Panthers retired numbers

We could not confirm the year Carolina retired the number from a team page, so it is not printed. Sources from 2020 to 2022 describe Mills as the only retired number.

Why 51 matters: Sam Mills and "Keep Pounding"

Mills played linebacker for Carolina in its early years, then coached for the team. He died in 2005 after a fight with cancer. His "Keep Pounding" line, coined during a 2003 playoff game against Dallas, became the team's motto. The phrase was later added to the jersey collar. Mills was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.

Hall of Honor, Canton and retired No. 51

The Panthers Hall of Honor, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton and a retired jersey number are different distinctions. Sam Mills’ 51 connects the three, but a Canton honor does not automatically retire a Carolina number. Julius Peppers entered Canton’s Class of 2024, and Luke Kuechly joined in 2026. Their national honors should not be read as additions to the retired-number table.

Who wears what in 2026

Rosters change during the season, so confirm a player is still on the team before you order a name and number.

More 2026 numbers fans ask about

Beyond the table, the ESPN roster lists offensive tackle Taylor Moton at 72, guard Robert Hunt at 50, linebacker Bobby Okereke at 58 and safety Tre'von Moehrig at 7. Rookie Monroe Freeling wears 57. Quarterbacks have the most-searched jerseys, so Bryce Young's 9 and Kenny Pickett's 12 are the numbers most buyers ask about. A number tells you the era, not the player, so always match it to a name.

Can you buy any number?

Yes. Our Panthers black jerseys and other styles carry current players' numbers. A retired number is a tribute, not a current-player jersey. The NFL assigns number ranges by position, which affects which numbers a player can get. Our NFL jersey number rules guide covers those ranges. For team-wide style choices, start at the Carolina Panthers jerseys page. Nike makes the current jerseys, and a retired number only appears on tribute styles.

Records and the numbers history

Young's 448-yard game in Week 11 of 2025 broke Cam Newton's Panthers single-game record, which is one reason fans ask about number history. Carolina's retired-number list is short, so its numbers history is mostly one name: Sam Mills' 51.