CHARLOTTE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville native Rico Dowdle delivered the best performance of his NFL career Sunday, rushing for 206 yards and a touchdown to lead the Carolina Panthers to a 27-24 comeback win over the Miami Dolphins in Charlotte.
Dowdle, a former A.C. Reynolds High School standout, etched his name into Panthers history, starting in place of the injured Chuba Hubbard. Dowdle’s 206 rushing yards tied for the second-most in a single game in franchise history, trailing only DeAngelo Williams’ 210-yard outing in 2012, according to the Panthers website.
The Panthers (2-3) rallied from a 17-0 deficit — matching the biggest comeback in team history — before quarterback Bryce Young hit tight end Mitchell Evans for the game-winning touchdown with two minutes remaining at Bank of America Stadium.
Dowdle’s fourth-quarter 1-yard touchdown gave Carolina its first lead of the game at 20-17, capping an afternoon defined by the 27-year-old’s power running and persistence.
It was Dowdle’s first 200-yard rushing game and the first time this season a Panthers running back eclipsed 100 yards on the ground. His 234 total yards from scrimmage rank as the third-highest single-game total in team history, behind two performances by Christian McCaffrey in 2018 and 2019, the Panthers website said.
According to Next Gen Stats, Dowdle generated +105 rushing yards over expected, including 171 yards running to the right side — the most in any NFL game since Derrick Henry’s 174 in Week 17 of 2020.
Dowdle gained 114 yards before contact and 92 after, showcasing a blend of burst and toughness reminiscent of his high school and college days.
Before joining the Panthers this season, Dowdle played four years with the Dallas Cowboys after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of the University of South Carolina.