Team History
The following details a historical time line that outlines events that lead to the birth and history of the Kansas City Panthers, it's owner and where it stands today as the oldest semi pro football team in the Kansas City MO / KS metropolitan area.
The Panthers are a Minor League Football Team affiliated with the Midwest Football League, a Minor Pro Football league with several teams throughout the Midwest states.
1994 Jimmie E. Ross played fullback and tailback for the Kansas City Jazz Semi Pro team.
1995 Ross left the Jazz and was recruited to be the starting running back for the Independence Mo. Bulldogs Semi Pro team. The Bulldogs went on to win the South Central Football League Championship title.
Ross decided to try his luck with the NFL and was invited to two NFL camps in 1996.After
putting his best efforts into it, Ross was not sign to play NFL ball.
1996 Ross wanted to return to the Semi Pro circuit but with another agenda in mind. He wanted to start another team in the Kansas City area. The Panthers where born and the birth of this team did not sit well with the remaining Kansas City teams or the South Central Football League. In this year the team struggled and took beatings week after week but the organization managed to survive the first season with a 1-9 record.
1998 brought new hope for the organization when a merger deal was formed with the Mo. Wolfpack formally known as the Mo. Bulldogs. This was an attempt to build a stronger franchise. The team showed signs of growth and produced a winning record of 8-3.
1999 seeing no future with it's current league Panthers owner decided to severe ties and move to a newly formed league known as the North American Football League. Ross needed anotherGM so; he approached fellow ball player and friend Keith Kemp to assume the position. With the shortage of complete football fields in the Kansas City area many schools and districts did not want what they thought would be extra wear and tear on their facilities. With no place to call home the Panthers owner and GM had no choice but to put the team on the road it's first year with the North American Football League. Record 2-10
In 2000 heavy and extensive recruiting took place. The panthers landed a deal with a middle school in Kansas City Kansas to use the field for all home games. The Panthers made it to the playoffs as a wild card team with a respectable 5-5 record.
2001 brought some more changes to the organization. The organization hired a new coaching staff and resigned fifteen veterans and signed former players from
two other teams in the hopes to build a strong veteran team to make a Championship run. This turned out to be the Panthers biggest season ever. The team produced a 10-0 regular season record but lost in the third round of the playoffs.
2004 Jimmie Ross was nominated and inducted into the Minor League Football Hall of Fame as an Owner/ Pioneer.
2008 The Panthers make it to the Playoffs but looses in the first round. Panthers send eleven players to the North American Football League All Star game held in Atlanta GA November 15.
2009 The Panthers return to the Playoffs. Sends eleven players to All Star Game in St. Louis MO.
2013 the Panthers are United Football League Champions. Whats next for the Panthers? To continue raising the bar as an organization, respectable members of the community and continue to offer exciting football that’s affordable to all. To obtain its second elusive championship title in 2015!
