The Carolina Panthers can make their most significant statement yet on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. And if they accomplish this lofty goal, they could be sitting atop the NFC South before Week 13.
It won't be easy against another playoff hopeful, but confidence is high after a phenomenal overtime triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan recognizes Carolina's threat, and he also knows there is one massive danger that must be stopped to prevent Dave Canales' squad from claiming another scalp.
Tetairoa McMillan has been everything the Panthers hoped and more. General manager Dan Morgan didn't overthink things at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking the best wide receiver in this class despite the need for defensive reinforcements. To say it's been a success would be something of an understatement, and Shanahan saw it coming a mile away.
Kyle Shanahan believes the Carolina Panthers have a superstar in Tetairoa McMillan
Shanahan lauded McMillan when analyzing the Panthers. He thought the former Arizona standout could be one of the league's best pass-catchers for a long time. The respected coach also revealed that the wideout jumped out during San Francisco's pre-draft assessments "big time".
"I think he’s a stud. He’s going to be one of the best receivers in this league sooner than later. He’s got all the skill sets to do it, and I think he's just getting started."Kyle Shanahan
Panthers fans figured this out weeks ago. McMillan is a superstar, and if he manages to get a clear run of luck on the injury front throughout his career, he will go down among the most prolific receivers in franchise history.
McMillan already has 54 receptions from 89 targets for 748 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 11 games. He does have five drops, which isn't ideal, but the Waimanalo, Hawaii native represents precisely what the Panthers needed.
Shanahan is one of the NFL's most revered offensive coaches, and with good reason. This sort of praise means a lot coming from him, but Niners' defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has proven credentials in nullifying influential performers. And restricting McMillan will be at the top of his to-do list.
Taking advantage of McMillan's versatility is crucial. The Niners don't have a legitimate lockdown presence capable of shadowing the wideout wherever he goes, so moving him around the line of scrimmage, similarly to how the Panthers deployed him versus the Falcons, could prove highly profitable. That won't go unnoticed by Canales during his strategizing for the clash.
McMillan is the man for the big occasion. And the Panthers haven't had one like this, especially on the prime-time stage, for some time.
Get your popcorn ready...