Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Panthers great Julius Peppers, who is in his first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, headlines the group of 173 Modern-Era nominees.
On Tuesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 173 Modern-Era nominees for their class of 2024. Among the group are eight former Carolina Panthers players—including some franchise greats and a few all-time greats.
Here are those men:
When chatting about legendary wideouts with Chad Johnson, Panthers great Cam Newton jumped at the opportunity to praise his former teammate Steve Smith Sr.
Carolina Panthers legend Steve Smith Sr. recently put some respect on the name of fellow Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton. And now, the respect has been reciprocated.
Newton just released the first episode of the “Uno & Ocho Show,” where he and former NFL wideout Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson talked about the game’s best and greatest receivers. When the topic came to Johnson’s all-time top five, Smith Sr.’s name entered chat.
Cam would then excitingly take off about his former teammate.
“What Smitty thrived off of—if he knew you were scared of him, he like a shark, boy,” Newton said as he sat up in his chair. “Bruh, if he knew you were scared of him, it’s like a fighter. He know you hurt, he comin’ at you. And it didn’t matter.
“The thing I respect about Steve Smith, bruh . . . in practice, warmups, walkthroughs—same thing—he gon’ call you, he gon’ check you, now. He gon’ check ya CARFAX.”
Smitty, funnily enough, went through Cam’s CARFAX a bit on his own podcast a few weeks prior. In the July 26th episode of “Cut To It,” where he was joined by current Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson, Smith Sr. called Newton the best quarterback he’s ever played with.
“Who’s the best quarterback I’ve ever played with on the Carolina Panthers? Has to be Cam. I’ve never seen a more athletic quarterback,” he said.
“With Cam, I’ve never seen a guy—6-foot-4, 6-foot-5, 230, 250 pounds—run right and throw across his body. Flick of the wrist like you’re pitchin’ quarters.”
Newton and Smith Sr. played together for three seasons. Over that time, from 2011 to 2013, they connected on 216 passes for 3,313 yards and 15 touchdowns.
And while it was relatively brief, the Uno to Ochonueve connection will always be etched into Panthers lure.
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Panthers rookie WR Jonathan Mingo spoke about his grilling time with franchise greats Steve Smith Sr. and Muhsin Muhammad.
Last week, the two greatest wide receivers in Carolina Panthers history passed the torch to Jonathan Mingo . . . figuratively and literally.
Following Friday’s practice, Mingo spoke to reporters about his recent project with Steve Smith Sr. and Muhsin Muhammad—a little social media segment where he was grilled while grilling with the duo. The 2023 second-round pick said the following about his experience:
“You know football. You usually gonna talk way more football than grillin’. So, I didn’t really know I was grillin’ until last minute. I had just hopped out the shower to go sweat again. So, I was disappointed about that part.
“It was fun choppin’ it up with Steve and Moose Muhammad. Just pickin’ their brains, learnin’ football and just tryna give me advice on how I can become a better receiver.”
Mingo was then asked about his biggest takeaway from Smith Sr.
“Really just tryna help me take care of my body,” Mingo replied. “Things that just help me become a better football player. Just the ins and outs.”
Smith Sr., a noted fan of Mingo’s, dealt with a few significant injuries during his NFL career—including a broken leg, a fractured forearm and a “double rupture” of Achilles’ tendon. Nonetheless, he was able to piece together a prolific 16-year NFL career that should wind up in Canton, Ohio one day.
So hopefully, Mingo was taking more than just orders at the grill next to Smitty and Moose on that sweaty afternoon.
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Who was Steve Smith Sr.’s favorite QB from his time with the Panthers? And who was the best? Here are his answers:
For Carolina Panthers all-time leading receiver Steve Smith Sr., Jake Delhomme and Cam Newton were special to him in their own of ways.
Smith Sr. was joined by current Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson on a recent episode of his “Cut To It” podcast. The conversation, thanks to some intrigue from Shaq, ventured into which Carolina quarterback was Smitty’s favorite.
Here was his answer:
“I grew into an NFL wide receiver with Jake Delhomme. I lost and participated in a Super Bowl with Jake Delhomme. And most importantly, we grew together and got paid together . . . with Jake Delhomme. And I had, I believe, seven years with him.
“I’m not a person about brands. I’m loyal to people. And so, if I have a relationship in which our kids had birthday parties together—my kids had a birthday, his kids had a birthday party, our wives went to dinner together, we had events, we did things together for six, seven years and we got paid together.
“For me to say that Cam is my favorite [quarterback] when playing football with Cam for [three] years . . . I didn’t experience a Super Bowl with Cam. At the time, I was 30-something years old. I was in my 20s. So for me, it’s Jake Delhomme is my favorite quarterback because I also have the most tenure with Jake Delhomme.”
Delhomme and Smith Sr. played together from 2003 to 2009—a seven-year run that included an NFC championship, three Pro Bowl nods and a triple crown for the latter. So, it’s not surprising that Jake is Steve’s personal favorite.
He did, however, have his own distinction for Newton.
“Who’s the best quarterback I’ve ever played with on the Carolina Panthers? Has to be Cam. I’ve never seen a more athletic quarterback,” he added.
“With Cam, I’ve never seen a guy—6-foot-4, 6-foot-5, 230, 250 pounds—run right and throw across his body. Flick of the wrist like you’re pitchin’ quarters.”
Newton pitched quarters to Smith Sr. for three years. Between 2011 and 2013, he reeled in 216 balls for 3,313 yards and 15 scores from Cam.
Anyway, on a totally unrelated note, is anyone else hungry for some chicken and biscuits . . . ?
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Panthers greats Steve Smith Sr. and Muhsin Muhammad may have just passed the proverbial torch to rookie Jonathan Mingo.
We’re starting to think Steve Smith Sr. may be a fan of Jonathan Mingo.
The Carolina Panthers all-time leading receiver was in attendance for Thursday’s outing of training camp over at Wofford College. Oh, and he was joined by an old pal and soon-to-be Panthers Hall of Honor inductee Muhsin Muhammad—and they both got the chance to link up with who could be the franchise’s next big-time pass catcher.
Passing the torch 🫡 pic.twitter.com/H3mYfK1MIA
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) July 27, 2023
Smith Sr. is a well-documented supporter of Mingo’s. Not only did he possibly influence the Panthers to draft the eventual second-round selection, but he also said this about the 22-year-old last month:
“Jonathan Mingo—he’s . . . uh . . . I don’t know how tall he is because everybody’s taller than me,” he said jokingly. “But he’s 222 pounds, and his fluidity is a lot better than what I expected. I thought he was a stiff guy. That boy gets in and out of breaks, he’s very physical, very humble. Southern kid who isn’t really gonna say anything, but he’s gonna give ya hips a little bit and let you know, ‘I’m not no average rookie and you’re not gonna punk me.’”
He also said Mingo has “that dawg” in him, one that’ll bite and not just bark. And coming from one of the game’s greatest barkers and biters, those words (and that torch) mean something.
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Julius Peppers and Muhsin Muhammad may have to wait for their official Hall of Honor inductions, but they got some warm welcomes from some its current members on Monday.
On Monday morning, the Carolina Panthers announced that a pair of franchise legends—former defensive end Julius Peppers and former wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad—will be joining their Hall of Honor later this year.
And even though they’ll have to wait for their official inductions, they didn’t have to wait for their warm welcomes.
In a 57-second video subsequently released by the team, Pep and Moose were greeted into the club by a handful of its current members. The welcoming committee included Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith Sr., Wesley Walls and Jordan Gross—four of the hall’s six honorees
Take a look:
A very warm welcome 🙌 pic.twitter.com/223o6R2Znd
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 10, 2023
Five of these six men—Peppers, Muhammad, Delhomme, Smith Sr. and Gross—were a part of the 2003 Panthers squad, which went on to capture the first NFC championship crown in franchise history. While they came up just short to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVIII, they’d all make their mark in Carolina lure that season.
And soon, on Oct. 29, all of their marks will be made across Bank of America Stadium.
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Three cheers for the black, white and process blue! Here are our picks for which Panthers would occupy the franchise’s Mount Rushmore.
Happy Fourth of July, folks! Now, let’s celebrate the red, white and blue with a little black, white and process blue.
Here—based on which players have put forth the most productive, successful and impactful careers in franchise history—is our Mount Rushmore for the Carolina Panthers.
NFC South Roundup: Panthers had competition for Andy Dalton, Antonio Brown reflects on dramatic Bucs split
This week’s NFC South Roundup is dialed in on coverage of the New Orleans Saints’ rival teams around the division from our partners in the NFL Wires Network at Falcons Wire, Panthers Wire, and Bucs Wire.
We’ve got some new Carolina Panthers free agency scuttlebutt and takes from a couple of tall-talking wide receivers in Steve Smith Sr. and Antonio Brown (who reflected on his dramatic split with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), plus a new roster projection from the Atlanta Falcons.
Get up to speed:
Steve Smith Sr. thinks Bryce Young, like Drew Brees, will succeed in the NFL because he knows who and what he is.
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Many folks have made the connection between Bryce Young and Drew Brees because of how they measure up from head to toe. But a Carolina Panthers legend cut that comparison off near the head.
Steve Smith Sr., on Wednesday’s episode of his Cut To It podcast, chatted with co-host Coley Mick and national NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe about the fantasy football outlook for the 2023 campaign. The franchise legend, once again, waxed poetic about the franchise’s new quarterback—stating what Young possesses in his head outweighs what some may say about his size as a whole.
“Bryce Young is not 6-1,” Smith Sr. said. “I’ve seen 6-4 receivers not be able to get off jam. I’ve seen 6-2 quarterbacks not be able to throw. Bryce Young reminds me of Drew Brees in essence of shoulders up and anticipation and knowing his own deficiencies. When a guy already knows his own deficiencies, I’m rooting for him because he’s not trying to be something he isn’t. He says, ‘Hey, this is what I am, this is what I’m not. I’m gonna stay in this category. I’m gonna stay in this area.'”
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound-ish Young has stayed in his area for quite some time and it hasn’t failed him yet. After all, it’s gotten him a Heisman Trophy and the honor of being a No. 1 overall pick.
As Smith Sr. adds—the 21-year-old passer is not always going to deliver the big knockout punch, but he’ll slice and dice his opponents up shot by shot.
“Bryce Young is not gonna throw you a 70-yard bomb off his back foot like Aaron Rodgers has ever done,” he went on. “But he will drop some dimes out there . . . in that zero-to-22-yard area that you’re gonna go, ‘I don’t care how tall he is or is not. That was a . . . shut the front door, that was a damn dime. Wow!'”
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Steve Smith Sr. believes Panthers rookie WR Jonathan Mingo has that dog in him, one whose bite isn’t too far away from his bark.
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Before the second round of the 2023 NFL draft commenced, Steve Smith Sr. tipped the Carolina Panthers off about a certain wide receiver. And that may be because this certain wide receiver, who the team did end up taking just hours later, has that dog in him.
On Wednesday’s episode of his podcast Cut To It, the franchise legend—along with co-host Coley Mick and national NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe—talked about some potential fantasy gems for the 2023 season. When the conversation wandered off into Smith Sr.’s neck of the woods in Charlotte, he had the following to say about rookie wideout Jonathan Mingo:
“Jonathan Mingo—he’s . . . uh . . . I don’t know how tall he is because everybody’s taller than me,” he said jokingly. “But he’s 222 pounds, and his fluidity is a lot better than what I expected. I thought he was a stiff guy. That boy gets in and out of breaks, he’s very physical, very humble. Southern kid who isn’t really gonna say anything, but he’s gonna give ya hips a little bit and let you know, ‘I’m not no average rookie and you’re not gonna punk me.'”
Coincidentally, Wolfe—just two weeks ago—reported something quite similar about the second-rounder. He, from mandatory minicamp, noted that Carolina’s coaching staff was also pleasantly surprised by Mingo’s fluidity and movement at his size.
Wolfe then asked Smitty the all-important question—does Mingo have that dog in him?
“Oh, he has that dog in him,” Smith Sr. replied. “But the difference in his dog—he’ll bite you.”
Well, if he bites, it may be best to keep the Mingo away from any of your babies.
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