Panthers’ swagger becoming infectious

Ron Rivera believes the Carolina Panthers rediscovered their swagger during a 38-10 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday — and he couldn’t be more pleased.

“Oh yeah, definitely — did you see the picture?” Carolina’s fifth-year coach said on Monday.

Rivera was refering to several of his players posing for a team picture on the sideline — and also dancing the “dab” — in the waning moments of their 11th straight home win, one that assured the Panthers home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs.

The victory photo has become a tradition for the Panthers (15-1) this season, although some opposing teams have taken exception to the celebration and called it excessive and disrespectful.

Rivera does not seem to mind, as long as his players “aren’t doing anything malicious or hurting anybody”. He doesn’t believe they are. “One thing I told these guys, keep your personality,” Rivera said. “Keep true to who you are. And that’s important, because that’s what makes them who they are as football players as well as people.

“If we’re disappointing some people, I apologize for that. This is who we are and this is how we’re going to do our thing.”

Falcons linebacker O’Brien Schofield was not happy the Panthers were posing for pictures in the closing minutes of Carolina’s 38-0 win over the Falcons in early December.

When the Falcons got revenge two weeks later in Atlanta and ended Carolina’s perfect season at the Georgia Dome, Schofield harkened back to that loss and said there’s a “better way” to show class if you win a game.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is no stranger to celebrations — and offers no apologies.

When he pretended to rip open his shirt like Superman early in his career, athletes around the country began mimicking his celebration. Newton also made the “dab” insanely popular and soon everyone was doing the dance.

His enthusiastic personality has rubbed off on his teammates.

“That’s been us ever since Week 1,” Newton said on Sunday. “Nothing is going to change. We’re not celebrating because we’re losing.

“Hopefully, if we are able and blessed to be in those situations, there’s going to be a lot of guys flying around, having fun and doing what they love doing, just living in the moment.”

Even normally reserved tight end Greg Olsen got into the act on Sunday.

“We were all enjoying it,” Olsen said. “It’s not usually my thing, but I’m all about the team.”