The Carolina Panthers held their annual preseason Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium Thursday night. The event itself was a cavalcade of entertainment and football, dotted with performances in between the team’s practice reps and ending with a laser and fireworks show.
Star wideout D.J. Moore ensured the fireworks were limited to the Charlotte sky rather than the stands.
The young veteran, fresh off an offseason in which he inked a three-year, $61.8 million contract extension, took to the bleachers when he saw two Carolina fans at odds. Rather than let the two gentlemen mar an event with children present by coming to blows, the rising receiver intervened to keep the peace.
@idjmoore Break’s Up Fight In Stands At Fan Fest #MyHero 💫 💙🖤 #KeepPounding #Panthers #CarolinaPanthers #FanFest #TikTok #viral #BREAKING #Trending #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/FTDK1z6PIb
— EL Grande Gato (@Keeppoundingtv) August 12, 2022
You know you’ve messed up when one of your team’s best players climbs into the stands to talk you down from your clownery.
“We’re at a family function,” Moore implored the two men who’d been squared up seconds earlier, one of whom was wearing sunglasses despite it clearly being dark outside. While the video cuts off there, the fact a follow-up of Corey Hart and his fremeny rolling between the stadium seats trying in vain to punch each other suggests the two took Moore’s words to heart.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, the peace and love didn’t extend across the whole stadium. Matt Rhule still had to deal with hecklers calling for his ouster once practice wrapped.
Matt Rhule crediting the crowd with their attendance at #Panthers Fan Fest. Was being heckled by a guy near the front row with "Fire Matt Rhule" chant, and made some light of it in his answer to a question about the night: pic.twitter.com/3wceMdf2xE
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) August 12, 2022
Fortunately, the third-year head coach was able to take it in stride. It turns out the Carolina Panthers may be a very chill team in 2022.