The Carolina Panthers’ defense improved in almost every major statistical category from 2024 to 2025.
The unit’s points allowance average decreased by nine points during the regular season. Its yardage allowance was sapped by 77.3 yards per game. Opposing offenses earned 5.4 fewer first downs per game, while the defense collected six more interceptions than in 2024.
All of that improvement occurred with safety Nick Scott playing 1,035 snaps on defense. The only player to play more snaps on defense than Scott in 2025 was cornerback Mike Jackson (1,041), who produced a league-high 19 pass breakups and a career-high four interceptions.
Scott’s almost-every-snap status has largely crawled under the radar this season. After an offseason that saw Scott re-sign with Carolina without any promise of a Week 1 role, he’s settled into his position as the secondary’s top communicator. He rarely leaves the field, and his time on it hasn’t come with many miscues.
He’s found his voice as a leader. And he’s regained his footing as a player.
“It’s really been a blessing,” Scott told The Observer. “I almost call it like a rebirth.”
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott jokes with a teammate during practice on Jan. 6, 2026, in Charlotte. The Panthers will host the Los Angeles Rams in first-round action of the playoffs at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday. JEFF SINER [email protected]
Scott won Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams following the 2021 season.
After leaving the Rams with a ring, he took a winding road that left him searching for confidence, purpose and a home within the NFL landscape. And as he gets ready to host his former team — the Rams — on Saturday (4:30 p.m. on FOX) at Bank of America Stadium during the Panthers’ first home playoff game since 2015, Scott has been able to reflect on his journey.
From the highs and lows of L.A. to a humbling experience in Cincinnati to a poor performance and later a turnaround in Carolina, Scott says he’s never lost sight of who he is as a player. But as he and his coaches and teammates will tell you, the journey to where he is now has benefited the Panthers’ secondary and defense throughout this season.
That’s life in the NFL
When the Rams selected Scott out of Penn State in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the expectation was that he could be a standout special teams player and little more.
He was fully bought into that idea as a special teams ace. But as he got to work with Rams safeties coach Ejiro Evero — now the Panthers’ defensive coordinator — and quality control coach Jonathan Cooley — now the Panthers’ defensive passing game coordinator — the light started to come on for him as a defender in 2020.
Eventually, he was thrust into a starting safety role during the 2021 playoffs due to injury. He started all four postseason games on Rams’ way to a Lombardi Trophy.
“He was a vital part of our stretch to win the Super Bowl, because both of our starting safeties got knocked out in the last game of the season,” Cooley recalled.
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott, center, and his teammates line up against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense during action on Sept. 7, 2025, at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. JEFF SINER [email protected]
Following the Super Bowl, Scott became a full-time starter for the Rams in 2022. He had a career year ahead of free agency, posting 86 tackles, five pass breakups, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. He used that stat line and his Super Bowl credentials to cash in on a three-year, $12 million contract in 2023 with the Cincinnati Bengals, whom he had beaten for his championship ring.
But the grass wasn’t greener with the Bengals.
Scott was mostly used as a free safety with the Rams. He worked in the deep part of the field, serving as a last line of defense in the secondary. But the Bengals wanted him to play more of a strong safety role, and there was a learning curve working in the tackle box. He was also asked to mentor the younger defensive backs on the Bengals’ roster at a time when he was learning a new function in a new defense.
Scott admits it wasn’t a good fit. Cooley, who has known Scott since 2020, understands why things didn’t work out for Scott with the Bengals.
“He’s somebody that drives a lot off confidence and belief and people having belief in him,” Cooley said. “And in Cincinnati, they put him in a spot where that was not — he was not very confident to play. So, they were relying on him on something that he never really displayed on film. So, that’s what made the Cincinnati year go awry for him.”
Carolina’s Nick Scott brings down Atlanta’s Ray-Ray McCloud III on Sept. 21, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. TRACY KIMBALL [email protected]
The Bengals cut Scott after one year.
He was then forced to find a job elsewhere, and fortunately for him, Evero and Cooley were in business together in Carolina.
Still, Scott’s 2024 reunion with the coaching duo didn’t start off particularly well.
Scott was trying to revitalize his career after having been miscast in Cincinnati. He struggled as a fill-in starter on a historically bad Panthers defense and dealt with a hamstring injury that cost him seven games on injured reserve.
After back-to-back campaigns filled with setbacks, Scott re-signed with the Panthers on a 1-year deal this offseason. He was told that he needed to compete for a job and nothing was guaranteed for Week 1. Scott was at a career crossroads.
“I knew this was the best place for me to be,” Scott said. “I know who I am as a player, and I’ve never lost sight of that — thank God. So, I’ve just been trying to do what I can to communicate, be a good teammate, a good safety and make the plays I’m supposed to make.”
‘The glue’
Scott’s voice is hard to ignore at practice.
It was part of the soundtrack of this summer’s training camp, and it became one of the more consistent sounds during the work week in the fall.
The veteran safety has range, both athletically and verbally. He’s the vocal leader of the secondary for a reason.
“Nick is the glue to our secondary,” Cooley said. “I’m sure he’s a big glue guy in the locker room. But he’s the glue in our secondary — he drives the bus on the communication. He’s an energy guy with his play style. Him being out there every down for us has been critical because everybody can rely on him to get the calls communicated and then play fast.”
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott receives instructions during practice on Tuesday in Charlotte. The Panthers will host the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday. JEFF SINER [email protected]
During the offseason program, Scott was tasked with getting free-agent addition Tre’von Moehrig up to speed on Evero’s defense. He was also asked to mentor fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom.
He was quick to accept both assignments.
“Just wanted to be in a position where if I wasn’t the one starting, I was helping whoever’s out there be the best player they can be,” Scott said.
Despite the uncertainty of his role entering training camp, Scott eventually formed a versatile safety trio with Moehrig and Ransom. The younger safeties have learned from the outspoken veteran.
“He’s been great for my development,” Ransom said. “A dude that’s been in the league a while, been in this system a long time, understands the defense really well. He helped me learn stuff first coming in, and he’s just a true professional and does a great job leading me.”
“He’s been great — just with everything,” Moehrig added. “Just the communication, helping out younger guys, always being available to help people — be there for people outside of the building — and he’s just a joy to be around.”
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott celebrates with fellow safety Lathan Ransom after his interception against the Los Angeles Rams during a Nov. 30, 2025 game in Charlotte. Grant Halverson Getty Images
Scott is joined by several of his Super Bowl LVI teammates in the Panthers’ locker room.
Linebacker Christian Rozeboom, guard Austin Corbett, defensive end A’Shawn Robinson, cornerback Robert Rochell and nose tackle Bobby Brown all played with Scott in LA. They’ve all seen him transform from a talkative special teams ace in Los Angeles to a vocal defensive leader in Carolina.
“I feel like it’s been great to have him around because he gives that youthfulness, but still that veteran (presence) on the side,” Robinson said. “And the guys can relate to him on and off the field, because he’s been that journeyman before. So, it’s been great to have him here after all of his trials and tribulations that he’s had since we left L.A. together.”
Spirit, energy and enthusiasm
When there were loud external calls for upgrades at safety in August, head coach Dave Canales firmly backed Scott because of his leadership and understanding of the defense. Special teams coordinator Tracy Smith has also routinely praised Scott’s willingness to do whatever is asked of him.
“Nick is the spirit of the team in a lot of ways,” Smith said. “He’s very energetic, gets the guys going, loves to be in any type of leadership role and brings his happiness to that situation. … He’s just shown leadership qualities in the consistency of the effort and enthusiasm he brings week to week. And it’s infectious in a way that other guys are like, ‘OK, let’s get going also — Nick’s showing up again,’ that sort of thing. So, happy to have him around in any capacity that we can use him.”
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott during action against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. JEFF SINER [email protected]
Evero and Cooley have seen Scott enhance the on-field culture in Carolina.
The 30-year-old defensive back has also made the secondary better because of his football IQ, vision and experience within the defense.
“He knows our system, he’s been around me, he knows how I like things done,” Evero said. “He’s very vocal and intelligent. He has the ability to communicate — he’s essentially our vocal communicator back there (in the secondary). And so he’s done a great job, and certainly been an asset for Lathan and for Moehrig.”
Adversity comes, Nick Scott responds
Scott played 135 more defensive snaps in 2025 than he did in 2023 and 2024 combined. He produced a career-high 111 tackles, three pass breakups and an interception as a 17-game starter.
The interception came in Week 13 against his former team, the Rams, in a 31-28 upset win. Scott essentially took points off the board as he picked off his former teammate, MVP candidate Matthew Stafford, in the end zone.
Scott taking away a potential field goal or touchdown in what ended up being a 3-point game was huge for Carolina. But no one was surprised by the play in the Panthers’ locker room, even after Scott’s struggles in 2024.
“He’s the only one in the secondary that has won the Super Bowl, so it’s kind of like he understands the ups and downs of the season,” Mike Jackson said. “And he’s just balling — he’s taking advantage of his (opportunities). Last year — to me — wasn’t really a failure for him, because he was hurt for half the season, so it’s kind of like he’s healthy this year, and he’s just showing people who he is.”
Scott’s performance in 2025 hasn’t been flashy. He’s not going to get the accolades or acknowledgements of defenders like Derrick Brown or Jaycee Horn. But Horn doesn’t mince words when speaking about Scott, as he thinks the seven-year pro is “underrated.”
Another defensive mainstay who has noticed Scott’s improved trajectory is his longtime mentor, Evero.
Panthers safety Nick Scott celebrates his interception of a pass by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the end zone on Nov. 30, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The Panthers defeated the Rams 31-28. JEFF SINER [email protected]
Like Scott, Evero has faced his share of adversity and criticism over the past few years. The defensive coordinator, who has a special relationship with his longtime pupil, is happy to see Scott on the upswing.
“Every time he faces adversity and faces a difficult situation, he responds,” Evero said. “That’s what I’m most happy about for him and what I respect the most about him.”
Scott’s bounce-back campaign will coincide with another trip to free agency in March. But for now, he’s focused on the Panthers’ playoff run.
He knows what it’s like to win it all. He also knows what it’s like to lose his spot in the league.
Scott uses his highs and lows to motivate and inform his teammates as one of the leaders of a young team that is trying to prove itself — much as he has throughout the past two years.
Against the team that drafted him and brought him to the NFL’s promised land, Scott can help himself and the Panthers reach a higher ground this weekend.
This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
Mike Kaye
The Charlotte Observer
Mike Kaye writes about the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer. He also co-hosts “Processing Blue: A Panthers Podcast” for The Observer. Kaye’s work in columns/analysis and sports feature writing has been honored by the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA). His reporting has also received recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).Kaye previously covered the entire NFL for Pro Football Network, the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ Advance Media and the Jacksonville Jaguars for First Coast News. Support my work with a digital subscription
