CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers were given one game in the NFL’s marquee time slot during the upcoming season, marking the first time since 2016.
Fresh off a playoff appearance, the Panthers will host the Detroit Lions in prime time on Sunday, Oct. 4. The Week Four matchup will be Carolina’s first appearance on Sunday Night Football since 2016, ending the longest such drought in the NFL.
The early-season showdown with Detroit will be one of three prime-time games scheduled for the Panthers, with the other two coming in weeks eight and 12 against the Packers and Buccaneers, respectively.
The Packers game will be on a Thursday, and the Bucs game a Monday.
Sunday Night Football has been prime time TV’s No. 1 program for 15 consecutive years, so the fact that the Panthers will play in that slot is a fairly big deal. Sunday night matchups are often also the most anticipated games of the week.
Those games averaged a record 23.5 million viewers during the 2025 season.
Carolina’s 2016 appearance on Sunday Night Football did not go well as the Panthers were rocked, 40-7, by the Seahawks in Seattle.
The last time the Panthers hosted Sunday Night Football was during the magical 2015 season. Carolina beat the Eagles, 27-16, in Week Seven behind two total touchdowns from Cam Newton.
The Panthers’ full 2026 schedule is below:
Week 1: Panthers vs. Bears (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.)
Week 2: Panthers at Falcons (Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m.)
Week 3: Panthers at Browns (Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.)
Week 4: Panthers vs. Lions (Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:20 p.m.)
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: Panthers at Eagles (Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m.)
Week 7: Panthers vs. Buccaneers (Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.)
Week 8: Panthers at Packers (Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8:15 p.m.)
Week 9: Panthers vs. Broncos (Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.)
Week 10: Panthers at Saints (Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.)
Week 11: Panthers vs. Ravens (Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m.)
Week 12: Panthers at Buccaneers (Monday, Nov. 30 at 8:15 p.m.)
Week 13: Panthers at Vikings (Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4:25 p.m.)
Week 14: Panthers vs. Saints (Sunday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m.)
Week 15: Panthers vs. Bengals (Sunday, Dec. 20 at 1 p.m.)
Week 16: Panthers at Steelers (Time TBD)
Week 17: Panthers vs. Seahawks (Sunday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m.)
Week 18: Panthers vs. Falcons (Time TBD)
The Panthers will play in their first Sunday Night Football game in a decade in 2026.
The Panthers will play in their first Sunday Night Football game in a decade in 2026.(Jacob Kupferman | AP)
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