Jeremy Chinn’s mentality is destined for greatness

Jeremy Chinn’s presence at the retirement ceremony of Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen is further proof that the player’s mentality is destined for greatness.

It was an emotional occasion when Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen officially retired as members of the Carolina Panthers. Of all the faces present at the landmark occasion honoring two of the team’s greatest-ever players, the presence of Jeremy Chinn was notable.

The stud rookie sat alone and in silence, taking it all in.

Drawing inspiration from every work being set by two all-timers.

This might not seem like much. But Chinn could’ve easily watched it at home like the majority of his teammates.

Chinn wanted to feel the atmosphere for himself, one day hoping that he might be standing on the very same podium making the same sort of speech after a prolific career in Carolina.

Jeremy Chinn has his sights set on greatness.

The former Southern Illinois standout is off to a good start. Carolina took a huge gamble by moving back into the second round in order to select Chinn at No. 64 overall, which was one of the smartest decisions of Marty Hurney’s second stint as general manager.

What came next was more than anybody expected. Chinn was an absolute revelation from the moment he stepped onto the field at training camp and although his relative inexperience at outside linebacker was a concern, the rookie looked as if he’d been playing there his whole career.

Not getting Defensive Rookie of the Year was a travesty.

But it’s clear that Chinn is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to making improvements this offseason. So attending Davis and Olsen’s final hurrah was just another way to build motivation.

"“When you come in here, you see what these guys mean to the organization. But just to see what these guys mean to the organization, it’s inspiring to me. It’s encouraging to see the guys who built this team to what it was, and the level they brought it to.”"

Chinn is a born leader who is only going to get better once Carolina puts the right sort of pieces around him. There is every chance he’ll be moving back to his preferred position of safety following the signings of Haason Reddick and Denzel Perryman, which is set to transform the Panthers’ fortunes on the backend after the veteran duo of Tre Boston and Juston Burris struggled for consistency in 2020.

The Panthers are extremely fortunate to have a player such as Chinn, who bought in almost immediately to the ethos of the organization. This is a testament to his passion for the game, pure physical ability, and willingness to make the most out of every opportunity that presents itself.

Simply put, Chinn will not rest until he is considered one of the best players in franchise history. This is a high bar to aim for, but these standards are what sets the player apart from other bigger names who came into the league in 2020 with far loftier expectations and in some cases, reputations.

All this is good news for the Panthers, who will use Chinn as a cornerstone for future success after a sensational start to his NFL career.

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And who knows, maybe Chinn can one day emulate the two legendary figures he was so keen to see walk away from the game.