Travelle Wharton, whose 115 games played and 111 games started are second among Panthers offensive linemen, announced his retirement Tuesday. Overall, Wharton ranks seventh in games started and 12th in games played in franchise history.
Wharton, who came to the team as a third-round draft choice from South Carolina in 2004, played both guard and tackle for the Panthers, but spent the majority of his career at guard.
“I had the pleasure of coaching Travelle for two seasons and he was a pro in every sense of the word,” says Carolina head coach Ron Rivera. “His preparation was never lacking in any respect and he gave you complete effort on the field. Most of all, you always knew you could count on Travelle.”
Wharton never played a regular season game for another NFL team although he spent the 2012 season on injured reserved for the Bengals after signing with Cincinnati and being injured in the first preseason game. Carolina re-signed him during the 2013 preseason and he started 12 games after Amini Silatolu suffered a knee injury in Week Four. Wharton was a key component along the offensive line as the Panthers made a run to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and appeared in the NFC Divisional Game against San Francisco.
Wharton also started throughout the season on Carolina’s playoff teams in 2008 and 2005, starting 14 games at left guard in 2008 and 16 games at left tackle in 2005. The Panthers ranked eighth in total offense that season and averaged 24.4 points per game while making the playoffs as a Wild Card and beating the New York Giants and Chicago Bears in advancing to the NFC Championship game at Seattle. In his rookie season in 2004, Wharton moved into the starting lineup five games into the season and started the final 11 games of the year as the Panthers complied a 7-4 record over that period and narrowly missed making the playoffs after a 1-7 start to the season.
Wharton leaves the Panthers with a legacy of dependability as well as productivity. In his quiet manner, he provided leadership and stability through winning and losing seasons. He is one of only 16 players to appear in 100 games for the Panthers and one of only eighth to start 100 games, ranking behind Jordan Gross (167), Steve Smith (161), Muhsin Muhammad and Mike Minter (141), Julius Peppers (120), Chris Gamble (111), and Mike Rucker (107).
