Panthers WR Brandon Zylstra is the epitome of ‘Keep Pounding’
By Brian Emory
Brandon Zylstra’s journey to the Carolina Panthers
After failing to attract collegiate offers from any Division 1 programs, Brandon Zylstra played three years at Division III Concordia-Moorhead. While he had a productive college career, the player also wasn’t on any NFL radars upon the conclusion of his senior season.
This is where many players would have made the difficult decision to hang up their cleats, but not Zylstra. Refusing to move on from football, he earned the opportunity to play in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos.
By 2017, Zylstra had emerged as one of the best receivers in the CFL as he amassed 100 catches for 1,687 yards and five scores for the Eskimos. All of a sudden, his NFL dream seemed possible.
Zylstra earned his first NFL opportunity with his hometown team, the Minnesota Vikings. Throughout the 2018 season, the NFC North outfit primarily used Zylstra on special teams but he did appear in all 16 games for the team.
After being waived by Minnesota in August of 2019, Zylstra was claimed by the Carolina Panthers. Since then, he’s become a player with an assortment of responsibilities.
While Zylstra only recorded 11 total receptions through his first two seasons with the Panthers, he established himself on the roster by proving to be a valuable member of the special teams unit.