SAN FRANCISCO -- Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Friday that outside linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Jared Allen will start on Sunday in Super Bowl 50.
Both players are dealing with injuries. Davis broke his right forearm in the NFC Championship Game against the Arizona Cardinals. He will wear a protective cast to defend the injury that was repaired surgically with a metal plate.
Allen missed the NFC title game with a broken foot suffered in a divisional round playoff win against Seattle. He was limited in practice on Wednesday but practiced fully on Thursday and Friday.
Davis has not been limited in practice all week.
"I was really pleased by what we got from both of those guys,'' Rivera said. "I'm excited about having them back on the football field.''
The Panthers will go to Levi's Stadium on Saturday for a picture day and opportunity for players to get accustomed with their surroundings, in which they will meet the Denver Broncos.
Rivera said the team will not change hotels Saturday night as it did at the Super Bowl after the 2003 season when John Fox was the coach.
He added that there have been no issues with the curfew and praised the team practice facility at San Jose State.
What stood out for Rivera the most during the week is the way players were able to "turn it on and off.''
"One minute we're sitting there and they're enjoying themselves, they're doing the media, and then the next minute we're in the meeting rooms, the practice field, and they're focusing in on everything we need to do,'' Rivera said.
