For the Carolina Panthers, 2015 has been a year of excellent football and incredible plays which has carried them all the way to Super Bowl 50. It's also been a year of learning from past mistakes and adapting to new challenges. As a Charlotte native and a fan whose family owns season tickets to the Panthers games in Bank of America stadium, I have loved getting to cheer for my team this season and getting to learn the many lessons this 2015 team has taught me. These are the top five lessons that I have learned from the way the Carolina Panthers play on the field and live off the field.

1. Underdogs can overcome.

When the Carolina Panthers started winning this season, a lot of professionals and fans discounted their success. The Panthers have never been one of the football royalty teams, and everyone assumed that they would crash and burn eventually after their spectacular start. However, they defied expectations and went on to a 15-1 season and a Super bowl run. Whenever people count you out and say that you can’t do something that is simply an opportunity to prove them wrong. No matter your experience level or natural talent, hard work and dedication can give you the chance to do something no one ever thought you could do.

2. Never give up!

So many of the players of the 2015 Panthers team have come back from injury and difficult circumstances to play like champions. Outside linebacker, Thomas Davis, has had three torn ACL injuries in his career but has continued to play with excellence and determination. Quarterback Cam Newton was in a dangerous car accident in uptown Charlotte this time last year but recovered from his injuries to play in the playoffs last year and to lead the Panthers in an amazing season this year. While none of the players for the Panthers would tell you that it is easy to come back from something like that, the important thing is that you can come back. Don’t give up on your dreams because you’ve hit a roadblock, just find a detour around it.

3. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Not a single one of the Carolina Panthers players would be going to the Super Bowl if it weren’t for the team that backed them up. Cam Newton may be the MVP of the NFL for the year, but he could not be successful without each and every other player who contributes to the team. From the offense to the defense, the special teams to the coaching staff, every person is a part of getting the team to victory. Find yourself a team that leads you to victory. Find one that can cheer you on when you win and lose, and one that will labor alongside you to ensure that you achieve success.

4. Nobody's perfect.

Many of the Panthers’ fans and supporters were disappointed when they lost their one game to Atlanta and did not achieve a perfect season. However, the 2015 Panthers team is one of the best teams this franchise has ever seen. They are also one of the top two teams in the National Football League. They proved themselves worthy of going to the Super Bowl. It doesn’t matter that they weren’t perfect; they did their best. We all make mistakes. We all mess up; it’s simply a part of life. However, we can either stay knocked down from our previous defeat or we can rise up to achieve another victory.

5. Be yourself.

The Panthers have used this season to figure out who they are as a team. They’ve been compared to a lot of teams, and Cam Newton has been compared to other legendary quarterbacks, but in reality they have developed an identity all their own. Cam Newton in particular has a very flamboyant and flashy personality. (How could anyone forget his infamous pants?) However, each of the players on the team has demonstrated his own distinct personality which has resulted in the completely unique Carolina Panthers team we see today. You can definitely learn from others who have come before you, but you have to develop your own identity and be the unique individual that you are.