101-year-old Panthers fan cheers for Carolina’s return to playoffs

CHARLOTTE — The Carolinas’ only NFL team attracts fans of all ages, but Roy Goodwin might just be the Panthers’ oldest one.

“I think Luke Kuechly was my favorite of all the players,” Goodwin told Channel 9’s Hannah Goetz.

Goodwin just turned 101 years old in December, and he’s been around from the very beginning of the Panthers.

“I’ve always been a Panthers fan, I mean, they’re my team. I’m a North Carolinian,” Goodwin said.

He says that doesn’t make him special, but there’s a strong argument here. While he may not be the loudest or biggest superfan, he has been there for all of the team’s 31 years. In fact, he’s been around nearly as long as the NFL itself, both born in the 1920s.

“I always liked football so we played in the cow pasture. Really, you had to be careful when playing in the cow pasture,” Goodwin recalled. “We’d make plays up in the huddle.”

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When Roy turned 101 in December, his grandson posted a TikTok saying, “Papa turned 101 today, he’s been a Carolina Panthers fan since the franchise started, convince him a player on the team commented.”

The post was liked by thousands. That’s how we found it, and so did some Panthers players.

“No convincing necessary, let’s win this division,” wide receiver Jalen Coker wrote.

“Keep Pounding, happy birthday,” from Xavier Legette.

And from the Panthers and Bryce Young, a special birthday gift was delivered right to Goodwin: A book, bobbleheads, an autographed Bryce Young photo, and a birthday card thanking him for his support.

Goodwin is a World War II veteran after following Gen. Douglas MacArthur into Okinawa and surviving kamikaze attacks. He came home with battle medals, got married and had a family. He ended up getting a degree in textile chemistry and worked on the team that developed Astroturf for football fields.

But what makes a fan special? For Goodwin, it’s loyalty, pride, and a “Keep Pounding” spirit that he’s too humble to recognize.

“I think people in North Carolina pull for the Panthers because they’re North Carolinians. And we always need something that’s ours, and if you can’t claim it as yours, then it’s no good,” Goodwin said.

The Panthers will take on the Los Angeles Rams at home on Saturday in the NFC Wild Card round at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

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