14. Steve Smith
Steve Smith may not have been very big, but he is easily one of the toughest receivers of all time — he’ll tell you that, too. Smith was the heartbeat of the Panthers throughout the 2000s. His breakout season came in 2003 when he caught 88 passes for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns. He had one of the most memorable plays of the year, scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Rams to send Carolina to the NFC Championship Game.
Smith missed practically all of 2004 with a knee injury, but came back in a big way in 2005. He led the NFL in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. That season, he caught 103 passes for 1,563 yards and 12 scores. He was named a Pro Bowler for the first time, as well as earning his first All-Pro honors.
Smith had four consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards receiving from 2005-08, solidifying himself as one of the best receivers of his generation. He added two more 1,000 seasons in 2011 and ’12 with the Panthers before being cut in a messy breakup with the team. He went to Baltimore, where he had 79 catches for 1,065 yards in 2014, and had a touchdown against his former team.
Smith is one of the best trash talkers of all time, and one of the players that defined the 2000s. He’s a sure-fire Hall of Famer and arguably the best Carolina Panther of all time.