The Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers are set to wrap up Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season on Monday Night Football. On paper, the scales tilt toward San Francisco. They’re sitting at 7-4 and have got the home crowd behind them, looking a touch more consistent than Carolina, who come in at 6-5. But before anyone crowns a favorite, the matchup already sparked a debate on FOX NFL Sunday, where Terry Bradshaw and Rob Gronkowski went back and forth.

“Not a believer,” ‘Gronk’ said when he was asked whether he believed in the Panthers or not. “They’re so inconsistent.”

Right after his words, Bradshaw clapped back at him, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. That’s just not right. What’s wrong with you? There was a time your team wasn’t that good, and you got it on a run and you’re on television.”

It’s still a bit unclear which team Bradshaw was pointing at when he threw that line toward the former tight end, but it didn’t land smoothly. Gronk has stacked 11-plus wins in every one of his seasons with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so you can imagine why that comment didn’t sit right with him.

“What team was that?” ‘Gronk’ didn’t hesitate to question Bradshaw. “I mean, it sounded like you had a losing record. You were six and eight at one time.”

But then, the older analyst comically said, “You can’t be talking over me. It’s irritating to the viewer.”

In the end, Bradshaw didn’t reveal which team or season he was talking about. He didn’t further clarify his statement.

The exchange underscored how divided even seasoned analysts are on the Panthers this season, which adds another layer to an already high-stakes matchup. After all, the way things have turned out this season, the Panthers have indeed looked inconsistent through 11 weeks.

Rob Gronkowski is right about the Panthers

While the Panthers have clearly split the room between Terry Bradshaw, who missed Week 11 as a FOX analyst, and Rob Gronkowski heading into Week 12, it still leaves one real question on the table: How good is this Carolina team right now?

Well, for starters, the Panthers are 6-5, which puts them in a gray zone; neither out of the mix nor operating like a real playoff threat. And the numbers back that up. They’ve put up just 207 points so far (18.8 per game, 28th per PFR), which tells you the offense hasn’t been carrying much weight.

Add in a –4 turnover differential, and you’re looking at a team that’s not only struggling to score but also giving opponents extra possessions. That combination usually shows up in exactly the kind of inconsistency we’ve seen from Carolina all year.

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This is exactly why the NFL insider Eric Edholm criticized the team earlier this month, writing, “If anyone has a good read on exactly what kind of a team Carolina is, please drop me a line. I’d love to know. Because it has become obvious that these Panthers require a broader scope than drilling down on what happens to them each week.”

That’s what fans have been whispering for weeks. The team is too turbulent for anyone to make predictions. When firing on all cylinders, they are capable of matching anyone, but suddenly, their cracks start to show.

Now the Carolina Panthers turn their attention to the 49ers on Monday. And to be fair, this Carolina team might not collapse against San Francisco. But they will still go in carrying the inconsistency tag that Rob Gronkowski pointed out.