There is also the understanding, though, that this is a special game, a special moment, a pinnacle that only half the league reaches each season, and one that is never, ever a guarantee. As mentioned, the Panthers themselves haven’t been in this position—hosting a home playoff game—in a decade. And to be frank, it’s happening sooner than many thought possible in a rebuilding era.
That’s why, as Evero points out, while it’s important to treat the time between the whistles as a game, to still appreciate the fight it took to get here, and the fight required to stay.
“I was very, very blessed in so many of my previous stops,” shared Evero. “A lot of success in San Francisco. We went to the playoffs multiple times there, Super Bowl, NFC championship games, same thing even when my first job in Tampa Bay; the Packers, we went to the NFC championship game, my only year there, a lot of success obviously with the Rams, and so, the one thing I realized after the last four years is that it’s you can’t take it for granted.
