Cincinnati
Bengals
18-2
21
FINAL
27
Carolina
Panthers
16-4
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling showdown for the ages, the Carolina Panthers narrowly defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-21 to claim the Super Bowl title for the 2026 season. With both teams vying for championship glory, the stakes couldn’t have been higher, and the Panthers delivered when it mattered most.
Caleb Williams led the charge for Carolina, throwing for an impressive 290 yards, while his teammate Javonte Williams rushed for a solid 102 yards, showcasing a balanced offensive attack. Elijah Higgins emerged as the standout receiver, racking up 117 yards, making crucial catches that kept the chains moving and the Bengals' defense on their toes. Lamar Jackson threw for two touchdowns for Cincinnati, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Panthers' offensive prowess.
Defensively, the Panthers made key stops that shifted momentum in their favor. Kayvon Thibodeaux's sack and Jessie Bates III's interception were pivotal moments that halted Cincinnati's drives and set the tone for the game. With the Bengals threatening late in the fourth quarter, Bates' interception became a turning point, allowing Carolina to secure their victory and celebrate a hard-fought Super Bowl win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caleb Williams | QB | 26 | 18 | 69% | 290 | 2 | 0 | 131.8 |
| Lamar Jackson | QB | 18 | 10 | 56% | 172 | 2 | 1 | 102.0 |
| Jeff Caldwell | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javonte Williams | HB | 17 | 102 | 6.0 | 31 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 13 | 79 | 6.1 | 31 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Lamar Jackson | QB | 4 | 37 | 9.3 | — | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Deion Burks | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Higgins | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Evans | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dont'e Thornton Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elijah Higgins | TE | 7 | 117 | 16.7 | 24 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Mike Evans | WR | 5 | 109 | 21.8 | 18 | 0 | 55 | 0 |
| Dont'e Thornton Jr | WR | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 53 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 2 | 63 | 31.5 | 17 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Caleb Douglas | WR | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| A.J. Brown | WR | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 17 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Jaylin Noel | WR | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Jeff Caldwell | WR | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Javonte Williams | HB | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | — | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorenzo Styles Jr | FS | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Davon Godchaux | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kayvon Thibodeaux | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jermod McCoy | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devon Witherspoon | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Darien Porter | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keisean Nixon | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Trenton Simpson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlton Davis III | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Budda Baker | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odafe Oweh | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malachi Lawrence | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Korie Black | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Haulcy | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devonte Wyatt | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T.J. Sanders | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leonard Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Boettcher | WILL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Badgley | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zane Gonzalez | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 31 |

