GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - The Carolina Panthers are returning to one of the NFL’s biggest stages this season.
Carolina will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football on Oct. 4, marking the Panthers’ first appearance in that primetime slot since 2016. The Week Four matchup also ends the longest active Sunday Night Football drought in the NFL.
It will be one of three primetime games for the Panthers this season. Carolina is also scheduled to face the Green Bay Packers on a Thursday night in Week Eight and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a Monday night in Week 12.
Sunday Night Football has been primetime TV’s top-rated program for 15 straight years and averaged a record 23.5 million viewers during the 2025 season.
The Panthers’ last Sunday Night Football appearance came in 2016, when they lost 40-7 to the Seattle Seahawks. Their last home Sunday night game was in 2015, when Carolina beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-16 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 NFL took notice of the Panthers last year. And now national television audiences will get a chance to as well.(Carolina Panthers)
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