Keep Pounding has become a team mantra in honor of late Carolina Panthers player and coach Sam Mills. Mills first used the phrase "Keep Pounding" as a coach in an emotional speech to the team prior to the Panthers' playoff game versus the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 2, 2004. He spoke about commitment, dedication to teammates, team effort and never giving up. Mills asked the players to "Keep Pounding."
Immediately following the coin toss before every home game, an honorary drummer rallies the entire stadium by hitting the massive six-foot Keep Pounding Drum four times to signify four quarters. Keep Pounding Drummers come from a variety of backgrounds and occupations, but all have overcome a great trial or adversity that has not only made them strong but also pushes them to make others around them stronger.
Braheam Murphy
Local high school football QB and state champion
Julius Peppers
Panthers all-time sack leader
2017 Panthers Fan of the Year
U.S. military member in honor of Salute to Service
Former Panthers safety (1997-06)
Cancer survivors as part of Crucial Catch initiative
Member of Fuel Up to Play60 Leadership Team
Members of the USC and UNC women's and men's national championship basketball teams
Founder of 'Mitey Riders' therapeutic riding program
Panthers alumni defensive end (1995-97)
Panthers defensive end
NASCAR champion crew chief
Pitcher for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs
Salute to Service honoree
Charlotte Hornets guard
Breast Cancer Awareness Month honoree
Gold medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the 4x100m freestyle relay, North Carolina State swimmer
2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Panthers alumni linebacker (1996, 1998-99)
2016 NCAA Division I National Champions, including head coach Gary Gilmore, pitcher Andrew Beckwith, pitcher Mike Morrison and outfielder Anthony Marks.
Panthers alumni linebacker (2005-06)
Panthers Owner/Founder
Panthers wide receivers coach, member of Super Bowl XXXVIII team
Panthers running back
Father and son professional golfers who attended Wake Forest
2015 USA Women's World Cup champion team members
Salute to Service honoree
Medal of Honor recipient
Breast Cancer Awareness Month honoree
Make-A-Wish child
2015 NBA MVP, Charlotte native and Davidson College alumnus
Panthers alumni offensive guard (2001-03)
Oldest women to ever complete a marathon at 92 years old
Panthers 2014 Ed Block Courage Award winner
Make-A-Wish child
NASCAR champion
Salute to Service honoree and Medal of Honor recipient
Inspiration for the movie "23 Blast"
Panthers alumni wide receiver (1995-98)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month honoree
Hispanic Heritage Month honoree
Panthers alumni offensive tackle (2003-13)
Make-A-Wish child
Panthers alumni wide receiver (1995-98)
Children of former Panthers linebacker and coach Sam Mills
2013 NFL Man of the Year nominee
Make-A-Wish parents of Hope Stout
Play 60 ambassador
Salute to Service honoree, recipient of Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart
Panthers alumni quarterback (2003-09)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month honoree, mother of Greg Olsen
Panthers alumni wide receiver (1996-2004, 2008-09)
Charlotte 49ers head football coach
Boston Marathon bombing survivors
Panthers alumni quarterback (1996-2000)
2022 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/26 | Bills | Ericia Turner | CMS Athletics Director |
| 9/11 | Browns | Peter Blaich | 9/11 First Responder |
| 9/25 | Saints | Kerwin Vargas | Charlotte FC player |
| 10/2 | Cardinals | Melanie Mills | Keep Pounding Day |
| 10/9 | 49ers | Dr. Antoinette Tan | Crucial Catch |
| 10/23 | Buccaneers | Jaret Huneycutt | Atrium Health |
| 11/10 | Falcons | Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels | Salute to Service |
| 11/27 | Broncos | Carolina Brouchard | Atrium Health |
| 12/18 | Steelers | Derrick Brown | WPMOY Nominee |
2021 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/12 | New York Jets | Kathleen Britton | 9/11 survivor, volunteer responder |
| 9/19 | New Orleans | Christian Fuchs | Charlotte FC player |
| 10/10 | Philadelphia | Dr. Javier Oesterheld | Cancer doctor |
| 10/17 | Minnesota | Dr. Kathryn Hanes-Romano / Pablo Hortal | Athletic trainer and student saved |
| 11/7 | New England | Guzman Corujo | Charlotte FC player |
| 11/21 | Washington | Major General Chris Donahue | Salute to Service |
| 12/12 | Atlanta | DJ Moore | Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee |
| 12/26 | Tampa Bay | TJ Olsen | Heart transplant recipient |
2020 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/13 | Las Vegas | Tabari Wallace | |
| 10/4 | Arizona | Avery Caruso | Battling Leukemia |
| 10/18 | Chicago | Stephanie Killian | |
| 10/29 | Atlanta | Sarah Dean | Breast cancer survivo |
| 11/15 | Tampa Bay | Brig. Gen. Victor Petrenki | U.S. Army |
| 11/22 | Detroit | Ronnie Long | Wrongfully convicted, released after 44 years |
| 12/13 | Denver | Shaq Thompson | Panthers linebacker |
| 1/3 | New Orleans | Corey Seager | LA Dodgers shortstop |
2019 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 16 | Buffalo | Sir Purr | 25th season anniversary |
| August 29 | Pittsburgh | Zaire Washington | |
| September 8 | Los Angeles Rams | Muhsin Muhammad | Panthers 25th Silver Season Team member |
| September 12 | Tampa Bay | Mike Rucker | Panthers 25th Silver Season Team member |
| October 6 | Jacksonville | Jordan Gross, Jake Delhomme, Wesley Walls, Steve Smith Sr. | Hall of Honor Inductees |
| November 3 | Tennessee | Avery Wilson | Luekemia survivor - Atrium Health Rep |
| November 17 | Atlanta | CSM Annette Weber | |
| December 1 | Washington | Josie | Atrium Health Rep |
| December 15 | Seattle | Atrium Health Rep | |
| December 29 | New Orleans | Mario Addison | Panthers defensive end |
2018 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 17 | Miami | Willie Green | Panthers alumni wide receiver |
| August 24 | New England | Mitch Harwood, Bradford Hancock, McKenzie Stevens, Hayley Blaauw | Queens University four-time National Champion Swimmers & Divers |
| September 9 | Dallas | Gen. Robert Neller | Commandant of the Marine Corps |
| September 23 | Cincinnati | Dana Outlaw | Mayor of New Bern, N.C. |
| October 7 | New York Giants | Crucial Catch Representatives | Cancer survivors and representatives of the Crucial Catch initiative. |
| October 28 | Baltimore | Tharon Drake | U.S. Paralympic silver medalist and NCAA's first blind swimming coach at Catawba College |
| November 4 | Tampa Bay | Doug Greenlaw | National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart |
| November 25 | Seattle | SFC Jennifer Edgerly | U.S. Army Sergeant |
| December 17 | New Orleans | Austin Dillon | 2018 Dayton 500 champion |
| December 23 | Atlanta | Joshua Meyers, Scott Rohrer | Special Olympians |
2017 Keep Pounding Drummers
| Date | Opponent | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 9 | Houston Texans | Gerald Williams | Panthers alumni defensive end (1995-97) |
| August 31 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Harry Swimmer | Founder of 'Mitey Riders' therapeutic riding program |
| September 17 | Buffalo Bills | A'ja Wilson, Tyasha Harris, Luke Maye, Joel Berry II | Members of the USC and UNC women's and men's national championship basketball teams |
| September 24 | New Orleans Saints | Maliyah Morrison | Member of Fuel Up to Play60 Leadership Team |
| October 12 | Philadelphia Eagles | Alex Marshall, Gary Bowne, Paulus Bonar, Zoe Oliver | Cancer survivors as part of Crucial Catch initiative |
| November 5 | Atlanta Falcons | Mike Minter | Former Panthers safety (1997-06) |
| November 13 | Miami Dolphins | SSG Chad Campbell | U.S. military member in honor of Salute to Service |
| December 10 | Minnesota Vikings | Carrie Keuten | Panthers Fan of the Year |
| December 17 | Green Bay Packers | Julius Peppers | Panthers all-time sack leader |
| December 24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Braheam Murphy | Local high school football QB and state champion |