Panthers sign 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde to back up Carr

~ The 1986 Heisman winner is older than his new coordinator.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Vinny Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy the same year his new Carolina teammate Dwayne Jarrett was born. He was the No. 1 overall pick eight years before the Panthers entered the NFL.

He's thrown more passes than have been thrown in Carolina's history. He's also nearly four years older than his offensive coordinator.

Yet the soon-to-be 44-year-old Testaverde -- the man nicknamed "Dad" by his new teammates -- could start Sunday for the banged-up Panthers at Arizona.

"I'm just surprised that people are still interested in a 44-year old quarterback that hasn't played in five or six weeks," Testaverde said Wednesday, with his gray sideburns visible under his baseball cap. "It's like starting as a rookie, that excited, nervous, ready-to-go feeling."

The Panthers hope Testaverde will be ready after a five-day crash course. With Jake Delhomme set to undergo season-ending elbow surgery and David Carr missing practice and walking gingerly Wednesday with a back injury, Testaverde could be Carolina's best option.

"He's a guy we were fortunate enough to find at this point in the season," Panthers coach John Fox said.

Joining his sixth franchise, Testaverde has played in 226 games with 208 starts. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1987 draft was cut by New England before the start of the season.