Adam Thielen is firmly in the twilight of his successful career. He's giving it another go-around with the Carolina Panthers in 2025 after becoming enthused by the progress of quarterback Bryce Young. That'll help enormously, but it might be his last campaign when it's all said and done.
Thielen acknowledged as much during his discussions with the media at Carolina's annual Keep Pounding Day within the community. The two-time Pro Bowler freely admits the end is in sight. Even so, he's drawn an emphatic line under retirement speculation to focus firmly on the Panthers' hopes of growing next season.
Adam Thielen turns attention away from retirement, focused on helping the Panthers progress
That's the right attitude to have, even though it does nothing to diminish the lingering cloud hanging over the veteran pass-catcher.
"Not gonna think about that right now. I'm gonna focus on being the best football player I can possibly be, and you have to have that mindset in this league. And then once the season's over -- evaluate, see where we're at, see where the team's at, see where I'm at individually and as a family and figure it out. But definitely, definitely winding down my career. But excited about this year and what could happen."Adam Thielen via NFL.com
Thielen knows he doesn't have long left. He's still performing at a high level and was easily Carolina's most dependable option in the passing game last season. But in an ideal world, the young pass-catchers alongside him will raise their respective performance levels to make his decision a little easier next time around.
The Panthers gave Thielen a deserved pay increase in the final year of his deal. That's the most telling sign he'll walk away from the game or sign elsewhere in 2025, but that's to be determined. His primary focus is on helping Young flourish further, making his presence felt on the gridiron, and ensuring those who'll be around long after he's gone are ready to take over the mantle.
They are the biggest objectives facing Thielen during preparations for the campaign and when competitive action gets underway. Looking at the way he's gone about his business since entering the league — going from an undrafted afterthought to one of the league's most polished route-runners — he looks more than capable of achieving this objective.
What comes after that is less clear.