It was a Friday in January 2004, the night before the Carolina Panthers first playoff game of what would be the most magical playoff run in franchise history. Guys like Jake Delhomme, Mushin Muhammad, Steve Smith, Stephen Davis, and many other memorable Panthers were gathered on the eve of their first playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys at then Ericcson Stadium. That night before the game, Sam Mills gave a pre-game speech to put the team in the right frame of mind. Little did Mills know at the time that what he said would go on to define this iteration of the Carolina Panthers franchise:

"When I found out I had cancer, there were two things I could do -- quit or keep pounding. I’m a fighter. I kept pounding. You’re fighters, too. Keep pounding!"

Even though Mills was only given a couple of months to live when he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, he defied the odds until he finally succumbed to it in 2005. He fought to survive, not just for himself, but for his family and for his friends. His ability to persevere in the face of insurmountable odds personifies what Keep Pounding is supposed to mean. To never give up, and to fight until you have nothing left to give. It is often true that once you give into the thought that you cannot win, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is why you must always have the belief you can succeed and overcome whatever lays in front of you. It is an ideal that every single one of us can take to heart to improve our own lives, and it is something that this Carolina Panthers squad has certainly adopted, not just as a saying, but as a total culture change for this franchise.

Facing Early Adversity

We all had some hope for this team following their improbable run for the division crown and a playoff win after a weird 7-8-1 season last year. We had an offense that looked like it was starting to gel some and defense that was stout and hard to beat. After the first preseason game, there was hope that the team could make real strides forward. Then one of the worst things that could happen, happened. WR Kelvin Benjamin went down to a non-contact ACL tear in a team scrimmage against the Miami Dolphins just days before their preseason matchup. A WR corps that couldn't afford anything bad to happen to it was sudden shaken to the core. As the preseason went along, hope for a consistent offense began to fade, as drops and poor play plagued the offense.

Going into the regular season, many hoped for just a decent year, myself included. That we could at least look somewhat competent. In Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Panthers once again would be forced to dig down deep into their soul. Already down DT Star Lotulelei, All-Pro LB Luke Keuchly would go down as well to a concussion. It seemed like things would only go downhill without him in the lineup. Oddly enough that wasn't the case. LB AJ Klein would step up, and do his level best to fill the gigantic shoes of Kuechly, and would perform admirably in his place. Several weeks later, yet another key play would go down, with DE Charles Johnson being lost to a severe hamstring injury. It seemed as though every time we started to get something going, another key player would go down. Yet the team never seemed to falter. It did not matter what happened, they simply kept going, kept pounding.

Finding Ways to Win

For me, the first game that showed me this might be something special this year was unquestionably the game against the Seattle Seahawks. In the past, it seemed as though the Panthers would fold and would never find a way to win in such dire straights. We have all been so accustomed to this team not being able to make that crucial final drive needed to take the lead. Watching Cam Newton dismantle the Seahawks secondary was almost like watching a beautiful work of art be created in front of your eyes. I'm sure all of us were overwhelmed with pure joy when Greg Olsen reeled in his game winning TD. Those of us who saw the game were witnesses to the transformation of this team, from merely being a collection of athletes to a true cohesive unit with a singular purpose: to win no matter what the circumstances are. It would become a theme for the next several games against Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and most recently Green Bay.

There is no doubt the Panthers have made it difficult for themselves, allowing teams to creep back into the game. Despite that, the Panthers have still found a way to be 9-0. No injury, or drive, or play has been able to stop the Panthers from having a perfect record. They have all adopted the Keep Pounding mentality. Much of this is due to the culture created by not only the players, but also the coaching staff.

Leaders in the Locker Room and on the Field

A culture change can only take place for a team if the veteran leaders and coaching staff make it happen. For the Panthers, that charge has been led by several people.

Ron Rivera

It is common knowledge that Ron Rivera was a member of the legendary Super Bowl champion '85 Bears. He is a true players coach, and while many of us doubted him or even wanted him gone, he has survived the early years of being a new and green HC in the NFL. After a franchise first two straight playoff appearances in consecutive years, things were looking up for Riverboat Ron and the Panthers. Tragedy though would soon strike for the Rivera family. On July 28, 2015 in the midst of the Panthers Training camp, Rivera's older brother Mickey would lose his fight with pancreatic cancer. Only those who have experienced such a loss can truly comprehend how Rivera must have felt. There was only one thing for Rivera to do, and that was to pick himself up and keep moving forward.

Rivera has certainly made it clear to this team that they must never give up, to keep pounding until they have left everything they have on the field. He and his coaching staff have taken this team and molded it into a squad that nobody wants to play against. A team that actively fights for one another, and plays as a singular unit. Rivera should be seriously considered for Coach of the Year for what he has helped accomplish so far. He may have his faults, but he has definitely changed how this team operates and interacts with each other. He has overcome his own personal tragedy, and has used that to propel his team to play for the moment and for each other.

There is nobody else that typifies the Keep Pounding motto better than Thomas Davis. Selected 14th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, Davis was going to be guy whose only job was to be sure that we kept then Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick from running rampant on us. He would play well for several years until he suffered a heart wrenching three ACL tears in three years. After his third tear, Davis was convinced he would never play football again. He recalled thinking:

This is it. No one's going to want me.

No player in the history of the NFL had ever been able to come back from three ACL tears, with many players calling it quits after the second time. Davis had briefly contemplated calling it a career himself, wondering if it was worth trying to come back yet again from another crushing injury. Thankfully for the Panthers, he decided not to give up on his team, his family, or himself. Davis has battled back despite the overwhelming odds, and is now finally one of the top Pro Bowl vote getters for LB's. Since his return in 2012, Davis has recorded 393 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, 6 INT's, and 6 FF. He was also named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2014 for his volunteerism and excellence on the field. Davis is a walking example of what Keep Pounding means. His iron will to overcome his injuries has allowed him to make a difference not only on the field, but also off it. His Defending Dreams Foundation has helped underprivileged children by educating and developing them to realize they have potential in this life and can achieve great things.

Thomas Davis should and will be immortalized forever outside Bank of America Stadium. Like Sam Mills, he has never given up, and it is a big reason why this team is where it is at today. If Luke Kuechly is the heart of the defense, Davis is its soul. You will have a hard time finding a better man in the NFL today than Thomas Davis.

There have been fewer players in the NFL that have had to deal with the constant criticism and, quite frankly, utter hatred that Cam Newton has received. Since entering the league in 2011, Newton has been scrutinized and nitpicked for everything, from his demeanor, to having a towel draped on his head, to his off the field issues in college, and on, and on, and on. Through it all, Newton has never once shot back in anger at his critics, never gotten truly testy with the media the way others have, or taken to social media to call people out. Newton never gets a pass, no matter what he does on or off the field. I have constantly striven to defend the man, because once you get past all the petty nitpicking garbage, all there is a guy who loves football, and loves doing good for the fans, specifically children. He keeps pounding, no matter what people say, and no matter what happens on the field.

It is not as though this is the only adversity the 26 year old former Heisman winner has faced. As many reading this probably remember a fateful day almost a year ago, on December 9, 2014 when Newton was involved in a car accident near Bank of America Stadium. The truck he was driving was perilously close to going over the bridge, after colliding with another vehicle and flipping multiple times. Everyone's heart skipped a beat when they heard the news, and thankfully Newton was not seriously injured. It did serve as a reminder for Newton to never take any moment for granted. He still wears the wrist band he got when he was admitted into the hospital to further remember the magnitude of that moment in his life. Newton has had to learn the hard way how precious life can be, and how we all must learn to never give up or give in no matter the circumstances. He has matured before our eyes, despite what those in the media and NFL fandom think of him.

Staying True to the Motto

If there is one thing we can say about this 2015 Panthers group, it is that they are a family. This team fights for one another, they sell out on every single play for each other. Perhaps the only other squad to do so was the 2003-04 Super Bowl team. I have made this observation numerous times over the season: the team is playing as a whole unit. That may be cliche or trite and even ambiguous, but it is the only explanation for how this team is 9-0 right now. They have all kept pounding, no matter the score, no matter the odds, no matter the stage, and no matter the pressure placed upon them. They honor the memory of Sam Mills every time they take the field. They honor his wish each gameday, to not give up and to keep pounding. None of these guys know how long they will be able to play; a freak, on the field injury or a terrible off the field accident can end the dreams of any NFL player. This team, from coaches on down understands that. The leaders on both sides of the ball have their own trials and tribulations to pull from as examples of facing insurmountable odds. If there is any team that can win the Super Bowl in Panthers history, it is this one. Wherever Sam Mills is at now, I think he would be proud of what this team is accomplishing on and off the field. I think he would even more proud of where this team is heading, and what is has yet to achieve.