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The Sad Story of Ted Ginn, Jr and the Carolina Panthers

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Ted Ginn’s time in Carolina shouldn’t be a sad memory. It wasn’t for him, anyway. His best years as a pro were in Carolina. He was an integral part of the 2015 Super Bowl team and, although there is the sting of loss, that season represents the pinnacle of Carolina and his as a receiver. There’s a sad side to Ginn and Carolina, however. Frankly, Ginn was an average player and, as Joe Menzer once stated, “one of the most frustrating players to watch.” The saddest part is that Ginn is arguably a Top-5 wideout in Carolina history. Sure, some have had better overall careers, but it’s hard to find five players who produced more in their time in black and blue than Ginn. Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad top the list, and three consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons earn DJ Moore the third stop. After him, things get murky. Number four is debatable between names like Ricky Proehl and Mark Carrier, but that discussion is based more on outside notoriety rather than what they did in Carolina. Then come the names like Brandon Lafell, Ted Ginn, Jr., Kelvin Benjamin, and even Devin Funchess. This is when it gets really depressing. I don’t want this to be a hit piece on Ginn, but the simple fact that he is among names in contention for a Top 5 wideout mean says a lot. The only consensus outside of the top three is mediocrity.

Carolina’s history is short, but it feels like forever since they fielded a formidable wide receiver group. Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammad are the only ones of note outside of tight Greg Olsen, which only makes the narrative more depressing. Almost as soon as the Panthers lost that 2003 Super Bowl, they started trying to recreate that type of magic, and it’s been underwhelming. Smitty’s personality probably didn’t help to bring along a younger talent. The blankest of stares from Dywane Jarrett probably called for unparalleled restraining from Smith. Outside Smith and Muhammad, the Panthers have never had a guy who was a significant contributor other than DJ Moore. That’s why trading Moore to the Bears hurts so much. Moore may not have found the endzone while in Carolina, but he’s been the most productive wideout fielded since they released Steve Smith.

Receiving Table
Rk Player From To G AV Tgt Rec Ctch% Yds Y/R TD Lng Y/Tgt R/G Y/G Fmb
1 Steve Smith Sr. 2001 2013 182 120 1440 836 58.1% 12197 14.6 67 80 8.5 4.6 67.0 32
2 Muhsin Muhammad 1996 2009 155 90 1187 696 58.6% 9255 13.3 50 72 7.8 4.5 59.7 14
3 Greg Olsen 2011 2019 126 58 838 524 62.5% 6463 12.3 39 78 7.7 4.2 51.3 3
4 D.J. Moore 2018 2022 80 43 616 364 59.1% 5201 14.3 21 82 8.4 4.6 65.0 7
5 Wesley Walls 1996 2002 98 39 552 324 58.7% 3902 12.0 44 54 7.1 3.3 39.8 1
6 Christian McCaffrey 2017 2022 64 53 482 390 80.9% 3292 8.4 18 49 6.8 6.1 51.4 8
7 Mark Carrier 1995 1998 57 23 347 176 50.7% 2547 14.5 13 66 7.3 3.1 44.7 1
8 Kelvin Benjamin 2014 2017 40 19 314 168 53.5% 2424 14.4 18 51 7.7 4.2 60.6 2
9 Brandon LaFell 2010 2013 60 22 294 167 56.8% 2385 14.3 13 91 8.1 2.8 39.8 2
10 Devin Funchess 2015 2018 61 21 311 161 51.8% 2233 13.9 21 52 7.2 2.6 36.6 1
11 Curtis Samuel 2017 2020 53 19 293 185 63.1% 2087 11.3 14 53 7.1 3.5 39.4 2
12 Ted Ginn Jr. 2013 2016 47 22 260 134 51.5% 2047 15.3 19 88 7.9 2.9 43.6 3
13 Donald Hayes 1998 2001 51 18 254 132 52.0% 1855 14.1 7 56 7.3 2.6 36.4 2

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

In 2013 I was at a sports bar talking to a friend about how the speedy Ginn had the potential to jumpstart the Carolina Panthers offense. Carolina was playing the Dolphins that day. A Miami fan sitting close by overheard the conversation and leaned in, and simply stated, “He’s got stone hands.” He wasn’t trying to be mean, perhaps a bit direct, but he was only being honest. He was right. Ginn finished the day with only three catches for 11 yards on ten targets. Ginn did have stone hands and continuously dropped wide-open catch after wide-open catch while in Carolina. Hell, if Ginn had average hands, he would have likely been among the top-three receivers in team history. Carolina wouldn’t have let him walk in 2016, either. Ginn did two stints with the Panthers, a year in 2013 and then in 2015-16. In that time, he had 134 receptions for 2,047 and 19 TDs. Devin Funchess was the only receiver of Panthers players with more yards than Ginn (outside of Smith and Muhammad) that had more touchdowns, and that was only by 2 with an additional season of play. Ginn played fewer games than all the players who exceeded him in yards except Kelvin Benjamin.

Tedd Ginn, Jr

Receiving & Rushing Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt
2013 28 CAR WR 19 16 2 68 36 556 15.4 5 24 47 2.3 34.8 52.9% 8.2
2015 30 CAR WR 19 15 13 97 44 739 16.8 10 36 74 2.9 49.3 45.4% 7.6
2016 31 CAR WR 19 16 8 95 54 752 13.9 4 27 88 3.4 47.0 56.8% 7.9
Care Care 193 83 760 412 5742 13.9 33 252 88 2.1 29.8 54.2% 7.6
3 yr 3 yr CAR 47 23 260 134 2047 15.3 19 87 88 2.9 43.6 51.5% 7.9

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

Ricky Proehl

Receiving & Rushing Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt
2003 35 CAR WR 81 16 2 52 27 389 14.4 4 16 66 1.7 24.3 51.9% 7.5
2004 36 CAR WR 81 16 3 70 34 497 14.6 0 25 34 2.1 31.1 48.6% 7.1
2005 37 CAR WR 81 16 0 50 25 441 17.6 4 19 69 1.6 27.6 50.0% 8.8
Care Care 244 109 994 669 8878 13.3 54 300 78 2.7 36.4 56.1% 7.4
3 yr 3 yr CAR 48 5 172 86 1327 15.4 8 60 69 1.8 27.6 50.0% 7.7

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

Devin Funchess

Receiving & Rushing Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt
2015 21 CAR WR 17 16 5 63 31 473 15.3 5 24 52 1.9 29.6 49.2% 7.5
2016 22 CAR WR 17 15 7 58 23 371 16.1 4 20 48 1.5 24.7 39.7% 6.4
2017 23 CAR WR 17 16 16 111 63 840 13.3 8 40 44 3.9 52.5 56.8% 7.6
2018 24 CAR WR 17 14 12 79 44 549 12.5 4 35 27 3.1 39.2 55.7% 6.9
Care Care 62 41 316 164 2265 13.8 21 121 52 2.6 36.5 51.9% 7.2
4 yr 4 yr CAR 61 40 311 161 2233 13.9 21 119 52 2.6 36.6 51.8% 7.2

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

It’s probably time to step back from the ledge because it gets worse. Carolina may have the worst receiving corps history in the NFL. If we were simply to compare receivers based on yards and touchdowns, Carolina falls behind even Jacksonville. Both the Jaguars and the Panthers came as expansion teams. Carolina has had far more success, making two Super Bowl appearances, but the Jaguars aren’t incredibly far behind. Jacksonville has made it to the AFC Championship three times. They haven’t made it to the Super Bowl, but they have had some runs and a better overall history of receivers than the Carolina Panthers. Steve Smith is the only reason the Panthers have any semblance of a respectable receiving corps history. Jacksonville’s Jimmy Smith was on a similar trajectory as Smitty, just with a slightly shorter career. I guess the Smiths just make for pretty damn good receivers.

Steve Smith, Sr.

Receiving & Rushing Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt
Care Care 219 198 1748 1031 14731 14.3 81 648 80 4.7 67.3 59.0% 8.4

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

Jimmy Smith

Receiving & Rushing Table
Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Tgt Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt
Care Care 178 150 1463 862 12287 14.3 67 579 75 4.8 69.0 58.9% 8.4

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2023.

There is one team who has a sadder story than Carolina at wide receiver, and that’s the Chicago Bears. Their all-time pass catcher was Johnny Morris, with only had 5,059 yards and 31 touchdowns, and he was a running back who last played in 197. Their next best is Alshon Jeffery, with only 4,945 and 26 touchdowns. Talk about a miserable history at the position. It’s a litany of unimpressive stats, and the only ones that turn out to be worth talking about are either tight ends or running backs or played before the 1960s. Before Carolina fans start laughing at Bears fans’ expense, it’s humbling to remember that without Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammed, the Bears and the Panthers’ history is a bunch of a bunch of competing Ted Ginn, Jrs. — sub 3k receivers who really mediocre at best.

Receiving Table
Rk Player From To G Pos AV Tgt Rec Ctch% Yds Y/R TD Lng Y/Tgt R/G Y/G Fmb
3 Alshon Jeffery 2012 2016 63 WR 37 529 304 57.5% 4549 15.0 26 80 8.6 4.8 72.2 5
6 Curtis Conway 1993 1999 92 WR 44 607 329 54.2% 4498 13.7 31 85 7.4 3.6 48.9 7
8 Marty Booker 1999 2008 82 WR 35 586 329 56.1% 3895 11.8 25 66 6.6 4.0 47.5 5
9 Willie Gault 1983 1987 76 WR 37 184 3650 19.8 27 87 2.4 48.0 3
11 Allen Robinson 2018 2021 57 WR 30 465 293 63.0% 3561 12.2 18 49 7.7 5.1 62.5 1
12 Dick Gordon 1965 1971 97 WR 42 238 3550 14.9 35 93 2.5 36.6 10
13 Brandon Marshall 2012 2014 45 WR 32 462 279 60.4% 3524 12.6 31 56 7.6 6.2 78.3 3
14 James Scott 1976 1983 71 WR 39 177 3202 18.1 20 72 2.5 45.1 2
17 Wendell Davis 1988 1993 81 WR 30 130 207 3000 14.5 14 75 2.6 37.0 3
18 Dennis McKinnon 1983 1989 85 WR 31 180 2840 15.8 21 76 2.1 33.4 16
19 Bobby Engram 1996 2000 62 WR 22 423 246 58.2% 2831 11.5 17 79 6.7 4.0 45.7 7
21 Devin Hester 2006 2013 123 PR 49 390 217 55.6% 2807 12.9 14 81 7.2 1.8 22.8 34
24 Marcus Robinson 1998 2002 51 WR 20 351 187 53.3% 2695 14.4 20 80 7.7 3.7 52.8 1
26 Earl Bennett 2008 2013 78 WR 20 295 185 62.7% 2277 12.3 12 71 7.7 2.4 29.2 4
27 Jeff Graham 1994 1995 32 WR 24 238 150 63.0% 2245 15.0 8 76 9.4 4.7 70.2 4
29 Johnny Knox 2009 2011 45 WR 21 249 133 53.4% 2214 16.6 12 81 8.9 3.0 49.2 5
Rk Player From To G Pos AV Tgt Rec Ctch% Yds Y/R TD Lng Y/Tgt R/G Y/G Fmb
30 Bernard Berrian 2004 2007 58 WR 16 299 150 50.2% 2197 14.6 13 62 7.3 2.6 37.9 4
31 Muhsin Muhammad 2005 2007 47 WR 18 334 164 49.1% 2183 13.3 12 44 6.5 3.5 46.4 1
32 Darnell Mooney 2020 2022 45 WR 21 299 182 60.9% 2179 12.0 10 64 7.3 4.0 48.4 1
35 Tom Waddle 1989 1994 60 WR 19 183 173 2109 12.2 9 68 2.9 35.2 4
36 Dennis Gentry 1982 1992 159 WR 28 30 171 2076 12.1 7 80 1.1 13.1 12
37 Brian Baschnagel 1976 1984 129 WR 22 134 2024 15.1 9 72 1.0 15.7 7
38 Ron Morris 1987 1992 66 WR 20 10 121 1991 16.5 9 67 1.8 30.2 1
39 Greg Olsen 2007 2010 62 TE 17 326 194 59.5% 1981 10.2 20 52 6.1 3.1 32.0 4
40 George Farmer 1970 1975 64 WR 21 113 1909 16.9 10 85 1.8 29.8 2

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/1/2023.

This wasn’t a fun reflection about the Carolina Panthers, nor meant to be a Ted Ginn hit piece. I’m confident this take will get blowback one way or another. On the one hand, many people contend that Ginn isn’t a Top-5 Panthers receiver. There is an argument for their position, but there is also a valid argument he should be considered in the Top 5. Other people will take issue with the idea that this example doesn’t exemplify Carolina’s paltry history at wide receiver. Those individuals, however, will have to rely on Smith and Muhammad carrying the Panthers’ water and make the case that the team’s history is young and better than the Bears. All of these positions are valid. It’s that validity that’s the sad story of Ted Ginn and the Carolina Panthers.

By Tony Dunn aka @Cat_Chronicles
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