The Carolina Panthers have experienced a rough patch lately, often mocked even in off-game moments. This week, former Panthers quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, both enjoying career rebounds since departing Carolina, faced questions about their past together.

Mayfield, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Darnold, now with the Seattle Seahawks, shifted from dismal records in Carolina to playoff successes. Their trajectories highlight the notion that quarterbacks sometimes simply require a better environment to flourish, prompting many Panthers supporters to ponder “what if.”

Mayfield reflected on his tenure with the Panthers during a recent chat when asked whether he and Darnold reminisce about the ‘good old days’ in Carolina. His sharp-witted reply was a sarcastic, “Reminisce about WHAT days?”, humorously indicating the bleakness of their shared experience in 2022.

When pressed further, he added, “Oh, nope. No we don’t.”

In the previous seasons with the Panthers, Mayfield had a challenging outing, earning a starting record of 1-5 in six starts, while Darnold achieved a 4-2 record that year. Mayfield’s stats of 57.8% completion and 1,313 passing yards hardly qualify for impressive, while Darnold’s figures were slightly better at 58.6% completion with 1,143 yards.

After a series of setbacks, Mayfield was released mid-season and subsequently claimed by the Los Angeles Rams, marking the start of his current chapter in Tampa. The following year, he led the Buccaneers with a 9-8 record, while Darnold’s first year as a starter post-Panthers ended with a stellar performance and a playoff bid for the Minnesota Vikings.