Tag: Xavier Legette

Fanatics actually made Xavier Legette holiday cards. And they talk!

Fanatics may have come up with the perfect holiday greeting for the special Panthers fan in your life.

Are you a Carolina Panthers fan looking for a way to spread the holiday cheer?

Well, we may have found just the thing for you!

Fanatics has partnered with rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette to roll out a set of talking holiday cards.

Yes, that’s right! One of the NFL’s most popular voices could come to a mantel near you.

Check them out . . .

And no, this isn’t a Saturday Night Live skit. It’s actually Legette . . .

(Hands not included.)

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Panthers WR Xavier Legette hilariously reveals he decided to lay low after drop vs. Eagles

Panthers WR Xavier Legette thought it was best to lay low after Sunday’s brutal drop against the Eagles.

Carolina Panthers rookie wideout Xavier Legette pulled off a veteran move following his team’s Week 14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 2024 first-round pick appeared on Wednesday’s episode of The St. Brown Podcast, hosted by fellow NFL receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Equanimeous St. Brown. Legette, unsurprisingly, was led into talking about Sunday’s brutal drop on what could have been the game-winning 32-yard touchdown—his biggest blunder as a pro.

But Legette didn’t let that mistake snowball into a few more . . .

(Warning: The following clip contains explicit language.)

While the St. Browns didn’t seem to buy it, Legette told reporters after the game that he initially believed he completed the catch.

“I thought I caught that,” he said. “Then I just watched the video, they just put the replay up, I ain’t know it hit the ground.”

Well, maybe Legette can schedule another trip to see Rod Wave—because it apparently worked wonders for his quarterback.

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Panthers rookie WR Xavier Legette must put his drops behind him

Ball security has become a concern for Panthers WR Xavier Legette. But it’s not a damning trait, at least not yet, for the talented rookie.

The NFL’s “rookie wall” moves for almost no player—even the 6-foot-3, 227-pound ones.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette has hit a slump. After a relatively solid start to the season, in which he reeled in a team-leading four touchdown catches before the Week 11 bye, the 2024 first-round pick has stalled over the last handful of games.

He’s been charged with one drop in each of his past four outings, with his most damaging coming in this past Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Legette, with the Panthers down by six points with under a minute remaining in the game, dropped a would-be 32-yard touchdown reception after beating veteran cornerback Darius Slay on a fine route.

The drop prevented Carolina from tying the contest and eventually helped lead to their 22-16 defeat.

There have also been some missed opportunities in the last few weeks like this one . . .

And like this one . . .

He’s also had trouble with completing impressive catches in traffic, failing to secure the rock after taking on contact. For a receiver who was known for his high-level ball skills in college, the drops have become a concern.

Some fans are starting to bunch Legette in with the likes of Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess and Jonathan Mingo, and have even floated around the “bust” label. And while he may not be living up to first-round expectations just yet, it’s far too early to write this exciting athlete off.

Take the emotion out away and look at his progression as a player from college to the NFL. He has improved greatly as a route runner, as he’s starting to win more with short-area quickness and utilizing his physical prowess at the top of his routes.

This is a talented player–one who will be effective as a high-end No. 2 wide receiver in the X or the Z  role within the offense. The Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young will need to rely on him when it matters the most—and lately, he has not been able to answer due to these drops.

It’s unlikely he gets benched, and that probably son’t cure him of these issues. More often than not, it’s up to the player himself to put in the work and improve his hands.

How Legette performs in these last four games won’t decide his future, but will more offer perspective for what he must improve on ahead of his sophomore campaign. The Panthers drafted him in the first round for a reason and they believe in his talent. He must improve his catching technique and consistency, which are the biggest issues for him at the moment.

If Legette takes a step here, Young can begin to lean on him more as a viable target in any situation—even ones that can decide the fate of a game.

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Panthers All-22 film review: Bryce Young activates clutch gene vs. Eagles in Week 14

A clutch performance from Bryce Young kept the underdog Panthers in their fight against the Eagles on Sunday.

Despite falling short of yet another thrilling upset on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers are continuing to grow before our very eyes. This once 1-7 team, which was being forced to eat blowout after blowout on a weekly basis early in the season, are actually learning how to win football games over the past month.

Carolina’s recent breakthrough can be linked to the breakout of quarterback Bryce Young, who has emerged in the last several games as a clean and potent playmaker. And even in Week 14’s 22-16 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, the former No. 1 overall pick may have offered up his most exciting and encouraging performance yet.

Let’s analyze the film from Young’s outing from this past weekend . . .

The Film

In recent weeks, the Panthers offense has toyed with opposing defenses using their stable of under-center play-action concepts. While this is a little more about the play-calling and designs by head coach Dave Canales and offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, overall, the success also has to do with Young’s operation through and through.

Focus on Young’s footwork below, as he creates a wider platform to work off. Lately, we’ve been pointing out that the Young’s drops are becoming more deliberate and stern. As soon as he hitches, he’s already beginning his throwing process.

Young layers this pass with perfect touch and drops it into the hands of wide receiver David Moore, who does a good job of beating Eagles cornerback Darius Slay at the line of scrimmage with physicality

The connection helps the Panthers convert a third-and-2 to set up a touchdown-scoring trip into the red zone.

Good quarterbacks who have the ability to use their legs are always in a pass-first mindset before scrambling. Young has been doing a great job of this, taking what’s in front of him and making good decisions as a signal-caller.

On this third-and-5 early in the fourth quarter, the Panthers are in a must-have situation down six points against the No. 1 defense in the NFL. As Young hitches in his drop, he doesn’t see open options in front of him, forcing him to initially attempt to create yards with his legs.

The big thing here is that he keeps his eyes downfield as he is running up the pocket. As he begins to do so, ol’ reliable Adam Thielen squeaks open to the middle of the field and allows Young to fire a quick pass on the move.

Sunday’s performance also proved that Young still has that clutch gene, one of his major traits during his illustrious career at the University of Alabama.

The Panthers are facing third-and-11 from their 2-yard line following Young’s illegal forward pass. As he makes his drop and begins his progressions, he then starts the scramble drill to create and find someone to get open.

He somehow evades two would-be sacks, keeps his eyes downfield and throws to rookie wideout Xavier Legette for a huge 31-yard gain on the final offensive series of the game.

This play was nothing short of spectacular, and it’s beginning to give Panthers fans hope once again.

For the third week in a row, the opposing defense sent a blitz against Young in an attempt to rattle and force him into a bad decision. And once again, the former No. 1 overall pick defeated the pressure in a high-octane moment.

Young’s lack of confidence and comfort against pressure helped lead to his early-season benching after Week 2. Fast-forward 12 weeks later and he has become one of the best signal-callers in the game at winning against the pressure—especially on this fourth-and-2 with the game on the line.

The Eagles send a six-man pressure on the Panthers with man coverage in the secondary. Canales calls a flood concept to the left with Thielen running a deep out. Young shows trust and confidence in not just his playmakers, but his protection as well—who do a great job at picking up free rushers.

This allows Young to scan the field and fire a dart from the far hash to Thielen to convert the fourth down. The completion showed Young’s high-level poise and composure in the face of all-out pressure as well as his ability to make the big throws in anxiety-driven moments.

The Verdict

When Young returned to the starting lineup six games ago, the three biggest games I had circled as must-prove matchups were those versus the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Eagles. He has passed those three challenges with flying colors.

Not only has Young begun to play with more control and poise, but he is malso making the Panthers fun to watch—even despite the 3-10 record.

Young is inching closer to being the team’s long-term franchise quarterback. He must continue to maintain this consistency and play.

Sure, he will never be pitch-perfect like some expect him to be, but it is difficult to ignore the success he has had of late. And this success hasn’t come against soft competition—it’s come against three likely playoff teams—two of which could be playing in the Super Bowl LIX.

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Top photos from Eagles 22-16 win over Panthers that saw Saquon Barkley make history

Top photos from Eagles 22-16 win over Panthers that saw Saquon Barkley make history

The Eagles are 11-2, winners of nine straight games after a 22-16 win over the much improved Carolina Panthers (3-10) at Lincoln Fnaincla Field.

The afternoon saw Saquon Barkley break LeSean McCoy’s franchise record for rushing yards in a season. This set Philadelphia up for a huge intrastate matchup against the Steelers (10-3) in Week 15, which should certainly be the NFL’s game of the week.

With preparation for Pittsburgh set to begin, we’re looking at the top photos from Sunday’s win.

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Panthers WR Xavier Legette on his game-altering drop vs. Eagles: ‘I thought I caught that’

Panthers WR Xavier Legette talked about his drop on a would-be game-tying 32-yard touchdown catch agains the Eagles in Week 14.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette had a chance to not only to secure the very top highlight of his rookie campaign on Sunday, but a chance to etch an all-time moment into franchise lore. But unfortunately, it fell through his hands.

With his team down by six points in the final minute of their closely-contested matchup against the heavily-favored Philadelphia Eagles, Legette dropped what would have been a game-tying 32-yard touchdown catch.

The Panthers, two plays later, would turn the possession over on downs at Philadelphia’s 37-yard line—clinching a tough 22-16 loss.

Legette was asked about the painful play after the game.

“I done made a couple plays, but I gotta make the ones when they matter,” he stated. “That was the one to win the game.”

The 23-year-old also told reporters that he initially thought he had made the catch.

“I thought I caught that,” he said. “Then I just watched the video, they just put the replay up, I ain’t know it hit the ground.”

Legette, who dropped a few other passes prior to that fateful one, ended the outing with two receptions for 39 yards over eight targets.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales, QB Bryce Young talk about Xavier Legette’s brutal drop in Week 14

Panthers QB Bryce Young on WR Xavier Legette’s huge fourth-quarter drop against Eagles: “I’m gonna keep throwing him the ball.”

The Carolina Panthers might have been one secure catch away from pulling off the NFL’s biggest upset of the season in Week 14. But unfortunately, security hasn’t been wide receiver Xavier Legette’s strong suit of late.

Legette, with his team down six points and just under a minute remaining in Sunday’s matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, could not reel in what would have been a game-tying 32-yard touchdown throw.

Here’s the brutal incompletion . . .

Carolina, two plays later, was unable to convert on a fourth-and-9—turning the possession over in the eventual 22-16 loss.

After the defeat, head coach Dave Canales was asked if he expects Legette to make that catch.

“Absolutely. That’s a big play we’re counting on,” he replied. “He’d be the first one to tell you, he’s gotta make that play. Bryce steps up, makes a beautiful throw, in the situation, had the coverage we wanted and all that. And so those are the plays that we just gotta find a way to make for us to get back on the winning column.”

While Legette did record a clutch 31-yard catch at the beginning of the drive, the rookie’s day in the City of Brotherly Love will be marred by his drops. The 2024 first-rounder, in addition to the aforementioned incompletion, also failed to haul in a few other first-down passes throughout the game.

But the man behind those throws, quarterback Bryce Young, had an encouraging outlook for himself and the 23-year-old receiver moving forward.

“Reinforce it with telling him and also with showing him and demonstrating,” Young said of his message to Legette. “I’m gonna keep throwing him the ball. I trust him in every situation. It’s not gonna change.”

Legette finished with two receptions for 39 yards on eight targets.

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Xavier Legette heartbreakingly dropped a late Bryce Young TD pass that would’ve upset the Eagles

Xavier Legette ruined the best game of Bryce Young’s career.

At this point, all the woeful Carolina Panthers have to play for is getting Bryce Young valuable experience. And for the most part, they’re accomplishing that mission. After getting benched in the early season, Young has started to play really well lately, as evidenced by a solid afternoon on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles.

In fact, we should probably say it was more than solid, as Young’s impeccable playmaking on the Panthers’ final drive gave Carolina a real chance at upsetting the NFC’s current second-best team.

Unfortunately, for as good as Young was in probably the finest game of his young career, Panthers receiver Xavier Legette wasn’t up to the task in the clutch. When Young uncorked a beautiful downfield dime to Legette in the final minute — which would’ve given the Panthers the lead and likely upset — the rookie playmaker couldn’t finish the process of the catch.

Oof. What a brutal turn of events:

Again, the Panthers don’t have anything to play for, so losing here doesn’t mean anything for NFC playoff implications. Still, it hurts to see Legette drop a touchdown on the biggest play of the game and prevent Young from putting a feather in his cap.

Panthers WR Xavier Legette texted Bryce Young to apologize for dropped ball in Week 12

Panthers WR Xavier Legette took accountability for what could’ve been a disastrous missed opportunity in Week 12.

While a fellow rookie receiver made headlines for pointing the finger elsewhere on Sunday, Carolina Panthers wideout Xavier Legette has pointed one at himself.

Albeit a valiant and closely-contested effort, yesterday’s 30-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs included a few follies from the Panthers—including this . . .

The drop wiped out what would have been about a 33-yard gain on a must-score drive late in the fourth quarter. But luckily, Legette’s mistake didn’t stop Young and the Panthers from eventually reaching the end zone to tie the contest up.

Nevertheless, Legette told reporters on Monday about how he took accountability for the missed opportunity . . .

Legette finished the outing with 56 yards on four grabs.

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Carolina is thriving on offense behind three rookies

The Carolina Panthers offense is perking up and the play of three rookie pass-catchers is a big reason why

Two wins in a row have not come easy for a Carolina Panthers team that has looked like a rock-bottom team for much of the season, but much of the credit for the winning streak must come from a trio of rookies that have made Bryce Young’s life a little easier in this Carolina offense.

 

Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Ja’Tavion Sanders have been the top receiving options within this Panthers offense and they have thrived without Adam Thielen or the now traded Diontae Johnson on the field. While the offense isn’t blowing anyone out of the water, it has proved to be sustainable over a three game stretch and seems to be clicking now more than ever behind their young quarterback.

 

All three of these rookies continue to impress and find themselves in the top ten of rookie receiving numbers on the season so far. Coker, in particular, has impressed as an undrafted free agent, suddenly performing like a seasoned pro and being a serious outlet for Young. With veteran Adam Thielen making his way back from an injury soon, this Carolina team could continue to get better and defy expectations of being a bottom-feeding team. The Kansas City Chiefs are next up on the schedule, and if Carolina can manage to make their offense work against that stingy defense, they may just have set themselves up for years to come.