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View Full Version : Panthers keep original kicker, select Peete starting QB


The_Philster
09-01-2003, 06:48 AM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- John Kasay, the lone holdover from the 1995 Carolina Panthers expansion team, will be the team's kicker this season after beating out Shayne Graham.

Coach John Fox also announced Sunday that 37-year-old Rodney Peete will start at quarterback in the opener against Jacksonville.

Kasay has kicked in his 159 games during his 13 seasons in the NFL, converting 80 percent of his kicks. Graham, a third-year pro, was one of 16 players released or waived.

"It was a very fierce battle, very close," Fox said. "In the end, we went with experience over youth. We put a lot of stock in those number of games that John Kasay has kicked in over the years. "...

more (http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/6606781)
The_Philster
09-01-2003, 06:49 AM
Graham couldn't cut it? There's a surprise. :rolleyes:
BillsFever
09-01-2003, 03:12 PM
The Carolina Panthers kept one piece of their past Sunday, but parted with another.

Kicker John Kasay, the last original Panthers player, survived a close preseason competition with Shayne Graham, but special teams ace Michael Bates, who made five Pro Bowl appearances for the Panthers, was released as the team trimmed its roster to 53 players.

Bates, Graham and running back Dee Brown were the biggest names among the 16 released. The Panthers placed safety Damien Richardson (knee) and fullback Casey Moore (broken hand) on the injured reserve list.

Kasay's future was uncertain as he made a comeback from his third major injury in four years. He missed most of last season as he had surgery to repair a sports hernia. Graham took Kasay's place for the final 11 games and kicked well after a rough start.

Kasay and Graham appeared to kick equally throughout training camp and exhibitions.

"There was no outright winner, as I told both of them," coach John Fox said. "It's like a lot of decisions, whether to run on third-and-1 or whether you should go for it on fourth down. A lot of the decisions that you make sitting in these chairs, you have to wait and see, but ultimately it came down to experience and the number of times one individual did it.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/sports/football/nfl/carolina_panthers/6666713.htm