The Carolina Panthers will return to the Super Bowl for the second time in the franchise’s history after defeating the Arizona Cardinals, 49-15, in the N.F.C. championship game Sunday.
It will be the first trip to the Super Bowl since 2004 for the Panthers, who narrowly lost in the title game that year to the New England Patriots. This year, however, at 17-1, Carolina maintained the best record in the N.F.L., led by the presumptive league most valuable player, Cam Newton, a burgeoning dual-threat superstar at quarterback.
Newton finished with 335 yards passing, 47 yards rushing, and four touchdowns to outduel Arizona’s Carson Palmer in the first-ever postseason matchup between Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks.