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Record-breaker: Sam Franklin's 99-yard pick-six

Oct 01, 2023 at 01:54 PM

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Darin Gantt

Sam Franklin

CHARLOTTE — Sam Franklin Jr. usually makes an impact on special teams.

Sunday, he did it on defense in a big way.

Franklin got the Panthers on the board first Sunday with a franchise-record 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Franklin was starting for the injured Xavier Woods.

After picking off the Kirk Cousins pass in the shadow of the goal line, he started trucking up the right sideline, and got a big assist from teammate D'Shawn Jamison with a block on Cousins.

The play surpassed the previous long interception return, set by Julius Peppers with a 97-yard non-scoring effort in Denver on Oct. 10, 2004. (He was chased down at altitude by wide receiver Rod Smith.)

The previous long interception return for a touchdown was a 96-yarder by Tim McKyer on Nov. 5, 1995, against the 49ers.

The last pick-six for the Panthers was by cornerback Donte Jackson last year in Los Angeles in Week 6.

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