The Carolina Panthers have signed linebacker Thomas Davis to a one-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. Davis is now under contract with the Panthers through the 2018 season.
“I’m extremely excited. Everybody knows how I feel about being a Carolina Panther,” Davis said. “This extension solidifies me being here for the rest of my career, and I’m excited about that. Now it’s totally focused on winning a Super Bowl.”
Davis has spent his entire NFL career with the Panthers since being drafted with the 14th overall choice in the 2005 NFL Draft. Davis is the franchise leader with 1,086 tackles, and has played in 149 regular season games with 131 starts – both team records for a linebacker.
“Thomas is still playing fast and at a high-level, and the intensity and passion that he brings to the game is unmatched,” linebackers coach Al Holcomb said. “He is the ultimate leader, and to continue to have a player and a man of his magnitude on our team is extremely important. I’m excited for Thomas, his family and our organization.”
In 2016, Davis earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection after starting all 16 games, leading the team with 132 tackles and adding three interceptions. Davis scored his first career touchdown on a 46-yard fumble return versus Arizona last season. Davis was a key contributor on a defensive unit that finished second in the NFL with 47 sacks and tied for fourth in the League with 17 interceptions.
Davis has averaged 130 tackles per season over the last five years (653 from 2012-16), including a career-high 151 in 2013. Since 2012, Davis has tallied 10 interceptions, the second-most among NFL linebackers behind only teammate Luke Kuechly (12). In 2014, Davis was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. The award recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.
