The Carolina Cobras burst onto the NAL scene in 2018, headed up by quarterback Charles McCullum. McCullum threw for 3,313 yards, 87 touchdowns and 19 picks. Five receivers scored at least twelve times: Tyrell Goodman, Fabian Guerra, Phillip Barnett, Jordan Jolly, and Tyron Laughinghouse. The Cobras defense picked 31 passes off, with Cedric Poole grabbing eight and Michael Green getting seven. Four of the team's five losses came by a combined nine points, and for the most part, Carolina rolled through the league, including 55-21 and 73-33 drubbings of Jacksonville. After another victory over Jacksonville, Carolina hosted Columbus for the championship game. Columbus was held to 110 total yards and McCullum passed for seven scores in a convincing 66-8 beat-down and championship crown. The team returned in 2019 to defend their title. After a 9-5 regular season, Carolina secured the #2 seed in the playoffs and hosted Massachusetts. An interception with no time left on a desperation heave by the Pirates gave Carolina a 30-26 victory. Carolina advanced to the title game against Jacksonville and led until the Sharks threw a touchdown pass with 11 seconds left to take a 52-48 victory. In 2021, Aaron Aiken quarterbacked the team, throwing for 786 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. James Summers scored six rushing touchdowns. Kendrick Ings led all receivers with 58 catches for 803 yards and 22 touchdowns. Opposing teams sacked Aiken 23 times. A 3-5 regular season earned the team a playoff berth at Albany, to whom they lost 55-41. The team returned in 2022 and posted a 9-5 regular season record and qualified for the playoffs again. Jonathan Bane quarterbacked most of the year (twelve games) and passed for 2,375 yards, 48 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Malik Henry appeared in four games and passed for fiftene scores and three picks and 809 yards. Zack Brown led all rushers with 222 yards and ten scores. DJ Myers led all wide receivers with 68 catches for 842 yards and 17 touchdowns. Kendrick Ings added 785 yards and eighteen scores on 63 catches. Zack Brown also accounted for seven sacks on defense. The Cobras defense picked off opposing QBs 21 times. Carolian hosted Columbus in the first round of the playoffs and won 65-51 to set a rematch with Albany. The Cobras had defeated the Empire three times. However, in the title game in Albany, the Empire sprinted to a 47-7 lead and won handily, 47-20. The Cobras returned in 2023 and again made it all the way to the title game. However, Carolina would blow a 31-14 first half lead in Jacksonville and come up short the second year in a row, 54-45.