Watching the Carolina Panthers these days feels less like football and more like a gut-wrenching scene ripped straight from Sean Durkin’s The Iron Claw.
But then, rookie sensation Tetairoa McMillan flashes, delivering a play so electric it jolts you like the first time you saw The Dark Knight.
Regardless of the sample size, the Panthers' first-round pick already looks like the best return on investment Carolina has seen in a decade of draft selections.
McMillan shone through the shade against the Jacksonville Jaguars, hauling in five catches on nine targets for 68 receiving yards. He recorded the third-best rookie debut by a Panthers wideout, trailing only Muhsin Muhammad (96 yards) and Kelvin Benjamin (92 yards). And if you factor in the two 50-yard shots he created but couldn’t quite connect on with Bryce Young, this outing had the makings of an all-timer.
Tetairoa McMillan was a shining light amid the Carolina Panthers' chaos
Overall, the Panthers’ offense sputtered, plagued by bad snaps, shaky pass protection, drops, and miscommunication. But when Young looked McMillan’s way, the unit suddenly resembled a well-oiled machine.
The numbers back it up. McMillan posted a +0.5% catch rate over expected, +1.0 in expected points added, +2 yards after catch over expected, and most importantly, zero drops. This is something the rest of Carolina’s receivers struggled with.
The Panthers didn’t just need a No. 1 target; they needed a difference-maker. McMillan looked every bit of that, making plays from all alignments and at every depth of the field.
He flashed acrobatic grabs, contested wins, yards after catch production, forced penalties, and the ability to beat press coverage. What stood out most, though, was his separation ability.
On short routes (0–9 air yards), he caught two of three targets for 21 yards while creating 2.7 yards of separation. On intermediate routes (10–19 yards), he hauled in three of four targets for 47 yards, generating 1.8 yards of separation but posting a massive +23.7% catch rate over expected.
While he didn’t reel in any deep shots (20+ air yards), McMillan still created 2.4 yards of separation. This was a pleasant surprise for a 6-foot-5 receiver who battled speed concerns coming out of college.
It’s only one game; no need to crown him the greatest receiver in Panthers history just yet. But if this opener was Carolina pouring concrete on desert sand, McMillan is the flower that bloomed anyway.
Another test awaits McMillan this weekend with a matchup versus Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson, who earned a 90.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus and forced three incompletions in his debut.
The rubber meets the road again, and we’re about to see just how fast this car can drive.