Trivia Thursday: Cowboys-Panthers Answers 

1) This former No. 88 wide receiver caught a 24-yard pass with 56 seconds left to defeat the Panthers, 14-13, on Oct. 13, 2002.

A rookie that season, Antonio Bryant totaled three catches for 45 yards and the game-winning score in the victory over Carolina, the second touchdown of his young career. Bryant never lived up to the No. 88 mystique, though, playing two full years in Dallas before being traded midway through the 2004 campaign to Cleveland.

2) True or False: The Cowboys first loss in AT&T Stadium came against the Panthers.

False. The Cowboys opened their new home on Sept. 20, 2009, against the Giants at what was then Cowboys Stadium and lost that game. But in a Monday night showdown the next week versus Carolina, Dallas scored all of its points in the second half to run away with a 21-7 victory, their first victory in what would become AT&T Stadium. Cornerback Terence Newman sealed the win with a 27-yard pick-6 late in the fourth quarter.

3) This Cowboys running back spent the last two seasons playing for Carolina.

After suiting up for Philadelphia in his first four NFL seasons, Mile Sanders spent the last two years in Carolina, where he totaled 939 yards from scrimmage with four touchdowns in 27 games. The Cowboys signed Sanders as a free agent last March.

4) Guard Nate Newton played 14 seasons with the Cowboys before wrapping up his career with one year in Carolina. What was his nickname?

Nate Newton, who was nicknamed the Kitchen, was a key member of the Great Wall of Dallas offensive line of the 1990s. A six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, he won three Super Bowl titles with the Cowboys and helped pave the way for running back Emmitt Smith to set the NFL's all-time rushing record.

5) True or False: The first time the Cowboys ever faced the Panthers was in a playoff game.

True. As the 1996 NFC West champs, the Panthers reached the postseason in just their second NFL season and would host Dallas in the divisional round, who entered as winners of the NFC East. It was a tough afternoon for Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, though, as he was sacked twice and tossed three interceptions in a 26-17 loss.

6) In the Cowboys' 27-20 victory over the Panthers on Nov. 11, 1998, each team started a quarterback who had been or still was a backup to Troy Aikman. Who were they?

Starting for the Panthers in this matchup was Steve Beurelein (right), who served as Aikman's backup during the 1991-92 seasons and helped Dallas reach the playoffs during his first year after Aikman went down with an injury. He threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns in the game. On the Cowboys' side, Jason Garrett (left) was behind center with Aikman sidelined and totaled 287 passing yards with two scores in the Dallas win.

7) Which Cowboys kicker booted a 24-yard field goal in overtime to give Dallas a 16-13 win at Carolina on Oct. 1, 2000?

In a game that included four field goals and a Cowboys safety, Tim Seder split the uprights with 11:08 left in overtime to give Dallas an upset victory over the host Panthers. Coincidentally, Carolina sent the game into the extra frame when former Cowboys kicker Richie Cunningham was good on a 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to tie the score.

8) Who is the only undrafted player in Cowboys history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season?

Rico Dowdle became the first player to go undrafted and then have a 1,000-yard season for the Cowboys, rushing for 1,079 yards in 2024. It proved to be his final year with the Cowboys as Dowdle joined the Panthers in free agency in 2025. He became the third undrafted player in NFL history to have a 200-yard game with 206 yards against the Dolphins on Oct. 5.

9) Which current Cowboys backup quarterback started his NFL career with the Panthers?

After a standout collegiate career at West Virginia, Will Grier was selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2019 draft, and he appeared in two games for the team during his rookie season. In addition to the Cowboys, Grier has also spent time with the Bengals, Patriots, Chargers and Eagles.

10) What player was drafted by the Panthers 39^th overall, only to be traded to the Cowboys the following year?

Jonathan Mingo was a second-round pick of the Panthers in 2023, only to be traded in mid-season the following year to Dallas.

11) What career first did Tony Romo achieve in the Cowboys' game at the Panthers on Oct. 29, 2006?

After taking over for Drew Bledsoe in a game against the Giants the week before, Tony Romo made his first career start in this outing at the Panthers. And it was indeed a memorable one. Down 14-10 entering the fourth quarter, Romo led the Cowboys to 25 points in those final 15 minutes to capture the 35-14 road win. He finished the day with 270 yards passing and a touchdown.

12) Of the following quarterbacks who have played for the Cowboys and Panthers, who has the most starts with Dallas?

Vinny Testaverde has the most starts in Dallas among Cowboys-Panthers quarterbacks. He recorded all of his 15 starts with the Cowboys in 2004.

Andy Dalton had nine starts in Dallas, while Steve Beuerlein had five total. Rodney Peete and Garrett Gilbert each started one game with the Cowboys.

13) This player had 117 yards and two TDs against the Cowboys while playing for Carolina, and then signed with Dallas the next year.

Rocket Ismail did his part to help the Panthers in a 1998 game vs. Dallas, but the Cowboys prevailed 27-20.

Ismail signed with Dallas in free agency the next year and finished his career with the Cowboys.

14) What running back had the fourth-best rushing day in Cowboys history with a 198-yard performance against the Panthers?

Julius Jones battled injuries all year in 2004, but had a breakout game at the end of the season, torching the Panthers in a Christmas Eve win.

15) In that wild 2005 game on Christmas Eve, who scored the game-winning touchdown with 24 seconds left to beat the Panthers, 24-20?

This was a huge game for running back Julius Jones, who rushed for 194 yards and totaled a career-high 211 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns. But wideout Terry Glenn proved to be the hero, hauling in a 2-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe in the final seconds to give Cowboys fans an early Christmas present with the come-from-behind win.

16) And also in that same game, which player tied the Cowboys rookie record with three sacks in a single game in a Christmas Eve win over the Panthers?

DeMarcus Ware (94) entered the game on Dec. 24 with only four sacks. He added three to the list. And all of his sacks, included a forced fumble on Panthers QB Jake Delhomme.

17) Troy Aikman started the Cowboys' first-ever playoff game against the Panthers. Who was the Dallas starter for the second postseason game in Carolina?

Quincy Carter started the 2003 Wild Card game in Carolina. He led the Cowboys to a 10-6 record and first playoff spot in four year.

But the Panthers were too strong, defeating the Cowboys 29-10.

18) What player ranks 7th all-time in NFL history in kickoff return yards with 9,110 and spent the majority of his career in Carolina, but played one regular-season game in Dallas?

Michael Bates was one of the top returners in the NFL in the late 90s and 2000s, even earning a Pro Bowl spot with Carolina as a return specialist.

At the end of the 2003 season, the Cowboys added Bates, who played the final game of the season and then the playoff loss, ironically to his former team, the Panthers.

19) Which Cowboys player has the most career interceptions against the Panthers?

In four games against Carolina during his tenure with the Cowboys, safety Roy Williams recorded three interceptions, the most by any Dallas player. Trevon Diggs is the only Cowboy to haul in two picks in one game against the Panthers while DaRon Bland and Terence Newman have the only touchdown returns off interceptions versus Carolina.

20) In a 2003 win over the Panthers, first-year Dallas coach made this emotional quote after the game?

Taking over a Cowboys team in 2003 that hadn't secured a winning record in five years, Bill Parcells got a little teary-eyed following a dramatic 24-20 win over the Panthers in mid-November.

The victory gave the Cowboys an 8-3 record, assuring his team they would at least avoid a losing record with the 16-game schedule.

Parcells told the media "You can't call them losers anymore." The Cowboys went on to finish 10-6 and earn a playoff spot, where they would actually go up to face Carolina in the Wild Card round.