In October 1993, after waiting for a few years, NFL fans in Charlotte were thrilled with the news that their city would be hosting a new NFL team, the Carolina Panthers. Their inaugural season was in 1995, and the following year they made it to the playoffs and even reached the conference finals by defeating the then defending champions Dallas Cowboys. In 2002, the NFL moved them from the NFC West to a newly created division, the NFC South. In 2003, the Panthers had an outstanding season with an 11-5 record, making it to the Super Bowl. However, they faced the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl and came up short. The Panthers faced challenges in the following seasons, but starting from 2010, they began building a strong team with head coach Ron Rivera, quarterback Cam Newton, and solid picks in other positions. This team made it to the playoffs from 2013 to 2015, with the last season being their best with a 15-1 record, and they reached the Super Bowl as favorites. However, once again, they left empty-handed after losing to the Denver Broncos.