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Luke Combs details his Carolina Panthers fandom on ManningCast: 'It's in the blood'

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones11/25/25brianjones_93

Country music superstar Luke Combs loves the Carolina Panthers, and it’s not something that happened overnight. While speaking to Peyton Manning and Eli Manning on the ManningCast, Combs, a North Carolina native, revealed when he became a Panthers fan.

“That was six years old when the Panthers became a team,” Luke Combs said. “I was living in Charlotte at the time. It’s in the blood, I guess, for me really.”

Combs speaking to the Mannings about being a Panthers fan is fitting since he recently partnered with the team on a new project. Last week, the Panthers announced they have teamed up with the 35-year-old to unveil an exclusive merchandise collaboration. The collection includes pieces from brands including Oak, ’47, Bettinardi, Homage, and Columbia.

Luke Combs says the Panthers are ‘my team’

“It’s safe to say I bleed Carolina Panthers blue. They’ve been my team through thick and thin,” Combs said in a press release. “I was born into this fandom. I met Sam Mills when I was 5 years old at a local restaurant during the team’s first season. I had a Panthers birthday when I turned 8. And their merchandise has always been a constant for me, so when they asked me about having my own line, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. I was able to hand-pick each and every item in the collection. Talk about a full circle moment. This is it. Keep Pounding.”

When the Panthers joined the NFL, Combs got the see the team have success very early. In Carolina’s second season (1996), the Panthers finished the regular season with a 12-4 record and reached the NFC Championship game under head coach Dom Capers. Seven years later, the Panthers reached the Super Bowl for the first time, but lost to the New England Patriots.

When Combs is not cheering on the Panthers, he is having success in the country music world. He has released seven studio albums since 2017, and six of his songs have reached No. 1 on the country music charts. Combs has earned eight Grammy Award nominations, including Best New Artist in 2018.