Tag: Steve Smith

Watch: Steve Smith gives impassioned endorsement for Panthers’ playoff push

Steve Smith agrees with Cam Newton. The Panthers might just be back.

If you needed one person to make an intense, spirited speech about the Carolina Panthers, then who would you look to? Yeah, you bet your rear it’s Steve Smith.

Prior to kickoff of the Week 11 matchup between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, the Fox Network desk was asked which NFC team has the best chance of stealing a wild card spot. Smith—a connoisseur of passion, vocalization and the Panthers—did his thing . . .

Even in the middle of a roller coaster campaign that has them sitting at 5-5, Carolina is currently in possession of the conference’s final playoff ticket. Their hold on that No. 7 seed, however, will be challenged by a handful of nearby squads such as the 4-win Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.

Smitty, however, thinks the Panthers have what it takes to stave off the field. Between their elite defense, which has allowed the second-fewest yards per game thus far (280.7), and what’s begun to cook on offense with quarterback Cam Newton—these cats have him thinking, “We back.”

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Cam Newton’s former Panthers teammates react to his return

Panthers fans weren’t the only ones showing their excitement for Cam Newton’s return to Carolina.

There was plenty of excitement to be had on Thursday, as the Carolina Panthers did what was thought to be the unthinkable and brought back Cam Newton. The fans, however, weren’t the only ones basking in that glory.

Let’s take a look at some of the day’s best reactions from Newton’s former Panthers teammates, who couldn’t help but spread their love for the move.

Steve Smith blasts Baker Mayfield, blames him for Odell Beckham Jr.’s departure from Browns

Steve Smith had a message for Baker Mayfield: You’re the reason Odell Beckham Jr. is no longer with the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns are parting ways with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday amid lingering issues between both sides that led to his release.

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has come under plenty of fire recently, including Beckham’s father sharing video of all of the times Mayfield didn’t target an open Beckham on the field.

Now, former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith is blasting Mayfield as the sole reason why Beckham is no longer in Cleveland. And he did it in front of the football world to see on Thursday Night Football.

“You’re not very good,” Smith directed at Mayfield, “and Odell is moving on because of you.”

Ouch.

Beckham’s career in Cleveland started out with plenty of optimism, but this season hasn’t been what many, including Beckham, expected. Through six games this season, Beckham has just 17 catches on 36 targets for 232 yards an no touchdowns.

When Beckham is officially released, he’ll hit waivers and can’t be claimed until 4 p.m. ET on Monday.

Panthers great Steve Smith to Baker Mayfield: ‘You’re not very good’

Panthers legend and NFL Network analyst Steve Smith doesn’t think Browns QB Baker Mayfield is very good. So he let him know about it.

We may miss having Carolina Panthers great Steve Smith on the field. But at least we still get him in this capacity.

The tenacious wideout turned tenacious broadcaster claimed another victim through verbal battery on Thursday night, scorching Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield amidst the ongoing Odell Beckham Jr. saga. Smith puts the blame for Beckham’s estrangement from the team on Mayfield, whom the 16-year wideout apparently doesn’t think too fondly of as a player.

Beckham was “excused” from practice for the second straight day this week,  which is likely another step forward in this inevitable divorce. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver, who’s caught just 17 balls for 232 yards through six games this season, has expressed his displeasure about his current role in Cleveland.

Smith, however, didn’t stop there. He took a second swing at Mayfield while also hitting Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz with some collateral damage.

89, through and through, has always been very much to the point with his opinions. And although this one may be pretty harsh, is he really wrong?

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Giants’ Daniel Jones grew up a Panthers, Steve Smith fan

New York Giants QB Daniel Jones grew up a Carolina Panthers fan and specifically cheered for Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith.

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones grew up in Charlotte so it should come as little surprise that he was a Carolina Panthers fan. In fact, several of his friends and family members still are.

On Sunday, Jones will square off against his hometown team for the first time in his career — something he simply views as “cool.”

“It’s cool. I grew up pulling for them in Charlotte, and certainly still have a lot of friends who are Panthers fans, so I think that’s cool to be able to play them,” Jones told reporters on Wednesday. “But it’s another game, we’re preparing like we always do.”

Specifically, Jones was a big fan of quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith.

“I liked Jake Delhomme a lot and Steve Smith. Growing up, I was a big Steve Smith guy. Just the way he played and his toughness, the way he competed, I always loved watching him,” Jones said.

Although they play different positions, you can see some of Smith’s toughness in Jones. In fact, Jones plays so tough it’s almost to a fault. Never was that more evident than during a Week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys when he got his bell significantly rung while trying to score a touchdown.

But the real question is, who will Jones’ family and friends be rooting for come Sunday? The Giants or the Panthers?

“I hope they’re rooting for me. I’ve probably got some who are still Panthers fans,” Jones said with a laugh.

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Panthers WR DJ Moore on pace for special season

Since 2000, only five players have recorded at least 85 first-down receptions in a single season. Panthers WR DJ Moore is on track to be the sixth.

Carolina Panthers fans have known how good DJ Moore is. They’ve already seen three years of it.

This fourth year, however, may be the one where everybody else starts to recognize him.

Moore, like his 3-0 Panthers, is off to a monstrous start here in 2021. He’s amassed 22 receptions over 31 targets for 285 yards and, in what could be his most impressive stat thus far, 16 first downs.

That got us thinking . . . how torrid of a pace is Moore currently on? Well, we dusted off the ol’ calculator and, turns out, he could be headed for territory that very few men have ever reached before.

Now, of course, this year is a tad different. Remember, we’re now playing off a 17-game schedule. So we have to keep it all relative.

But, whether it be 17 or 16 games, Moore is pacing for something quite special.

Pace for a 17-game season

Receptions: 125
Receiving yards: 1,615
Touchdowns: 6
First downs: 91

Pace for (what would have previously been) a 16-game season

Receptions: 117
Receiving yards: 1,520
Touchdowns: 5
First downs: 85

If we’re working off his 17-game numbers, he’d be just the eighth player in NFL history with a season of at least 125 catches and 1,615 yards. If it’s his 16-game numbers we’re looking at, he’d be the 13th to get to those 117 grabs and 1,520 yards.

His first-down pace, regardless of the gauge, would send him into an even more exclusive club. Only five men have recorded at least 85 receiving first downs since 2000. He, with the 91 or 85, would be the sixth.

Here, by the way, are the five members of that group:

Julio Jones (2015): 93
Marvin Harrison (2002): 92
Calvin Johnson (2012): 92
Michael Thomas (2019): 91
Antonio Brown (2014): 85

Moore is also on track to become the Panthers’ single-season franchise leader in receptions and receiving yards. If everything stays in place and intact (which it, like, definitely will because football is always a very stable and predictable sport), he’d pass running back Christian McCaffrey in catches (116) and mentor Steve Smith in yards (1,563).

Those are a few decent names to join and/or pass in the record books, right?

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Panthers legend Steve Smith officially named 2022 Hall of Fame nominee

Panthers all-time leading receiver Steve Smith has officially been named a nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2022. So is Canton about to get a little iced up, son?

Carolina Panthers fans know about “Ice up, son.” But pretty soon, it might be “Bronze up, son.”

On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame officially announced its Modern-Era nominees for the 2022 class, a group that included 10 first-timers. And of them, of course, is Panthers great Steve Smith.

Over his 13 years in Carolina, Smith amassed 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns on 836 catches—all franchise records. He then went on to play his final three years with the Baltimore Ravens, adding another 2,534 yards and 14 scores from ages 35 to 37.

Smith put away his cleats as the NFL’s eighth all-time leading receiver. He, as he’s just been deemed eligible, remains the only man of the top-9 on that list yet to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joining Smith in their first years of eligibility are wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Devin Hester and Andre Johnson, offensive linemen Jake Long and Nick Mangold, defensive linemen DeMarcus Ware, Robert Mathis and Vince Wilfork and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

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Watch: Panthers owner David Tepper boldly drops expletive on live TV

Apparently, Panthers owner David Tepper doesn’t give a sh . . . darn.

Even before he purchased the Carolina Panthers, David Tepper was known for having “brass balls.” No, really. He used to have a statue of giant brass genitals in his office at Appaloosa Management.

Well, after his appearance on Friday night, we know now he actually owns two pairs of those.

While hitting the team broadcast booth for a halftime interview with commentator Taylor Zarzour and franchise legend Steve Smith, Tepper dropped some thoughts on his players. He also (*warning*) dropped an s-bomb.

Welp.

There’s no doubt Tepper has a ton of confidence and fortitude to spare, obviously. The only question is which part of that interview was more astonishing, the fact that he preemptively dropped the expletive or that he nonchalantly told Smith he could afford any fine coming his way for it?

With Tepper’s most recent reported net worth at $15.8 billion, he’s certainly right. He can afford that fine. And another one. And another one. And another one . . .

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Steve Smith: Panthers LB Jermaine Carter Jr. is defense’s new leader

Smitty, once a Panthers leader, thinks LB Jermaine Carter Jr. has what it takes to be one of the franchise’s next pillars.

Steve Smith has experienced quite a bit with the Carolina Panthers organization. So when he talks about it, we best listen.

The franchise’s all-time leading receiver talked about the defense prior to Saturday night’s preseason broadcast, specifically of linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. He believes the 26-year-old can be that guy for this up-and-coming group.

“I think Jermaine Carter is the key guy,” Smith said. “Jermaine Carter Jr. has been doing an exceptional job in the last four years in his career. He lined up at SAM, MIKE, Rover.”

Carter Jr. was drafted by Carolina in the fifth round of the 2018 draft. He’s seen his role gradually increase since then, going from one start as rookie, to five in 2019 and seven this past season.

He is expected to take on his most meaningful assignment yet in 2021. And whether or not free-agent Denzel Perryman gets right in time, Carter Jr. will be a constant presence right in the middle of this defense.

“I believe he is the guy that can step up,” Smith added. “He is not Luke [Kuechly], but he can be the quarterback of that defense.”

(To be fair, who is Luke?)

Regardless, it’s time to buy stock in Carter Jr.

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Panthers legend Steve Smith next up for a shot at the Hall of Fame

Carolina Panthers fans know Steve Smith is deserving of a bust in Canton. We’ll find out pretty soon if the voters agree.

Smitty looks pretty sharp donning that Carolina blue jacket in the picture above, doesn’t he? So how about a gold one next?

Well, we’ll find out if Carolina Panthers legend Steve Smith will be adding a second jacket to his wardrobe within the year, as he’s up for eternal residency at the Pro Football Hall of Fame starting in 2022. He—along with other notables such as fellow wide receiver Anquan Boldin, quarterback Tony Romo, return man extraordinaire Devin Hester and defensive linemen DeMarcus Ware, Vince Wilfork and Robert Mathis—is now officially eligible to be elected to Canton, Ohio for the first time.

Smith was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft out of the University of Utah. He would go on to spend 13 seasons in Carolina, amassing 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns in becoming the franchise’s all-time leading receiver.

His greatest year, perhaps, came in 2005, when Smith led the entire league in receptions (103), receiving yards (1,563) and receiving touchdowns (12). He still remains as the most recent player to achieve the triple crown of receiving.

In what can painfully be described as an unceremonious, bloody and full-of-guts departure following the 2013 season, Smith signed on with the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. Even as a “Sr.,” he proved he still had it, totaling 2,534 yards and 14 scores over his three years in purple and black.

After 16 years of proving to be one of the most dangerous, incendiary and colorful players in the game, Smith announced his retirement after the 2016 campaign. He currently sits at No. 8 on the all-time receiving list and is the only player of the top-nine on said list that has yet to be enshrined.

Smith and the Panthers organization have since patched up their once rocky relationship, as 89 would be inducted into the Hall of Honor on Oct. 6, 2019. More recently, he received one heck of a standing ovation at the team’s Fan Fest event at Bank of America Stadium this past Friday.

And hey, maybe there’s one more emotional standing ovation to be had for the pass-catching great before it’s all said and done.

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