Tetairoa McMillan quickly established himself as one of the NFL's premier young wide receivers in his rookie campaign with the Carolina Panthers. He was instrumental in the club snapping its seven-year playoff drought and nearly pulling off a Wild Card Weekend upset over the Los Angeles Rams.
Few, if any, newcomers were as positively impactful to their squad as McMillan. Oddsmakers ostensibly agree, considering he's a heavy betting favorite to win 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, sportsbooks are far from the only ones to recognize his contributions; even football icon Tom Brady has taken notice.
Brady, arguably the greatest player in league history and current FOX Sports announcer, named McMillan his LFG Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Tom Brady declares Tetairoa McMillan LFG Offensive Rookie of the Year in a way Panthers fans will love
Any concerns about McMillan's inconsistent effort levels entering the pros are officially a thing of the past. He battled to make life easier for Panthers quarterback Bryce Young en route to what figures to be the first of many 1,000-yard seasons. Brady couldn't help but gush over Carolina's talented young wideout.
"I didn't cover a lot of Carolina [Panthers] games, but what I saw from [McMillan] was dynamic ability to get open, catch the ball down the field," Brady said. "Explosive plays, ball possession plays — really rose to the occasion. There was some questions coming out of the draft [about] his commitment, but I think he showed to everybody what he's all about with a monster year."
That's quite an endorsement, and it's coming from a true legend of the sport. Brady is a seven-time Super Bowl champion signal-caller and holds nearly every major passing category. Panthers fans shouldn't overlook this aspect of the enormous compliment to McMillan.
Only four receivers posted a higher air yard share than McMillan (44.1 percent) this season. He also ranked 14th in total targets (119). The Panthers desperately needed him to capitalize on the voluminous role, and his ability to seize the opportunity earned Brady's respect.
McMillan single-handedly carried Carolina's aerial attack. He had 31 catches and 620 yards more than the next-closest pass-catcher in each department. The Panthers deployed him like a legitimate No. 1 threat, and the numbers bear that out.
Note: Stats courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite ($).