Tetairoa McMillan took the Carolina Panthers by storm during a sensational first NFL campaign. The wide receiver was an emphatic winner of the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, going over 1,000 receiving yards and finally giving quarterback Bryce Young a legitimate No. 1 option to depend upon.
This was precisely what the Panthers had in mind when they took McMillan at No. 8 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was everything they were hoping for and much more. Based on his offseason work in Carolina and away from the team, he may have only scratched the surface of what he's truly capable of.
Amid the rookie positivity, McMillan admitted that he found it difficult to hold his preferred weight. The constant practicing and the grueling game-day punishment saw the wideout lose a few pounds. Not entirely surprising, but the former Arizona star is looking to avoid similar complications this time around.
Tetairoa McMillan is ready to attack Year 2 with the Carolina Panthers
McMillan was back on the practice field in a limited capacity at Carolina's two-day mandatory minicamp after working his way through a minor injury. He also revealed that he is now around 220 pounds. He's also carrying it well, making him more physically imposing and ready to prove his first-year exploits were no fluke.
This is a scary thought for defensive backs around the league.
TMac says he put on 17 pounds of muscle in the offseason pic.twitter.com/9vtUGGjKtg
— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) June 10, 2026
He was difficult to deal with last year. With some extra muscle mass and his 6-foot-5 frame, McMillan is going to be immensely challenging to stop.
The game should slow down for the pass-catcher next season, too. McMillan has a year of NFL experience, and a pretty good one at that. Now, he'll know what to expect — from the preparations to the game pace and how to recover. This only makes him more dangerous, and it won't be long before the league figures that out.
If the Panthers want to make legitimate strides offensively next season, they need McMillan to be firing on all cylinders. There can be no rookie walls, no letups, and nothing should get left to chance. Piling on 17 pounds of muscle might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it will certainly help.
The sky is the limit for McMillan. It was a positive first campaign in the pros, but he's demanding more. He wants to be classed among the elite wideouts anywhere in the league, and playing at his fighting weight gives him the best possible chance to achieve his lofty goals.
And with the foot problem healing encouragingly, the Panthers could have a superstar on their hands in McMillan.
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