By James BrizuelaShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Carolina Panthers have been a surprise in 2025, especially with rookie star Tetairoa McMillan. The first-round pick receiver has been showcasing elite skills in his first professional season, and he spoke to Newsweek Sports about the team's resilience and chasing greatness.
My Cause My Cleats Campaign
McMillan teamed up with Sharpie early on, as he was named one of the "Rookies of the Year." This partnership allowed him to sign his first professional contract out of college. They also partnered with the star rookie for his My Cause My Cleats campaign, which allowed him to support Polynesian-forward organizations: Hui Mahi’ai ‘Āina (a homeless community run by his grandmother in Hawaii) and First Down Faith Foundation (a faith-driven charity by his former teammate at Arizona, Noah Fifita).
...McMillan's cleats not only support his Polynesian culture but also his faith. Sharpie products were also used to create the design for the cleats.
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What can you say about your partnership with Sharpie?
"Oh, man, it's been, it's been really good. Just being able to partner with Sharpie, it's been a blessing. They've also helped me with a bunch of stuff, as far as my signature rookie moments, including, you know, signing my first contract, going to the Boys and Girls Club, and now just being able to represent my culture and my family and my friends on the cleat for the My Cause, My Cleats in-game."
Tetairoa McMillan First Season as a Panthers Receiver
...What have you carried over from college that has allowed you to be solid in your first NFL season?
"Shoot, I had to give just huge credit to my successes, to, you know, just the coaching that I've been around, you know. I've been fortunate enough to play at such a high level, play with such high-level coaching my whole life, to where, you know, I was ready for the league just before even coming into the league."
The Panthers have been a surprise in 2025. What is it that has led to the team gelling so well together?
"Shoot, I would definitely say resilience. You know, we definitely had our highs, we definitely had our lows, but, you know, we always figure out a way to bounce back. And you know, that's a big testament, you know, to the culture that we've set up here at the Panthers. And you know, we're just trying to continue to stack days and just get better every single day."
Speaking of the culture and resilience, what have you brought personally to aid in that culture for the Panthers?
"Oh, shoot. I really just think my energy, my authenticity, you know, just me being the same dude every day, me showing up, being the same guy every single day. And you know, I definitely feel like my energy is contagious to where, you know, other players on the team would like want to play for me, and then I'm also somebody that wants to play for other players on the team. So I definitely feel like I bring that aspect to the team."
Bryce Young went from being bench in 2024 to being a breakout passer, which is carried into 2025 what's it like catching passes from him and what is his leadership like?
"Yeah, I mean, I definitely feel like my situation is different with him, just because I grew up watching him play, I grew up playing against him in high school, so just being able to see him strive and being able to see, you know, the quarterback that I seen in high school translate to the college and now to the league, and you know he's, he's a competitor, the humble dude. So you know, he's one of those guys that you definitely want to play for. So you know he's a big leader on his team, and he plays a big part in our offense."
What was your "Welcome to the NFL" moment?
"I would definitely say my welcome to the NFL moment is when I saw Adam Thielen walk into the locker room with his kids. And because, you know, you know, in college, you may have a few dudes that have kids, but they're like, babies. They're toddlers. So when I seen him walk, I think, you know, his kids was like, eight, I'm like, man, we really in a grown man business."
Did Adam Thielen give you advice for your rookie season?
"Not for sure, he was, he was definitely somebody that I leaned on when I first got onto the team. You know, just obviously one of the oldest guys on the team, the oldest dude in the receiving room at the time, you know, someone that I can count on. You know he''s always got a lot of wisdom, got a lot of knowledge, and he always wanted to talk. He always wanted to pass down his wisdom and knowledge to me to make sure that, you know, I can be what I want to be. And you know, definitely somebody that helped me when I first got here."
Is there any cornerback who has been tough to face this season?
"Oh, man, I played against a few good corners this year already, and that's hard. There's a lot of good ones, you know. And then obviously, you know, I go against Jaycee [Horn] every day in practice, so it doesn't get better than that."
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of wide receivers?
"I'm gonna go Jerry [Rice], Megatron [Calvin Johnson], T.O. [Terrell Owens], and Larry Fitzgerald."
Are there any personal accolades you are chasing?
"Shoot, there's not one specifically, but, I mean, obviously, I mean, I want to win as much as I possibly can. But you know, you can't, really, you can't do it without team success. You know, if your team, if your team is good, then that means, you know, your players are good. So, man, I got no personal accolades that I want to chase, but you know, I want to try to be the best possible player that I can be."
What is it going to take for the Panthers to keep rolling and make the playoffs?
"Man, just consistency. Like I said earlier, we've had our highs, and we've had our lows, and, you know, we just got to learn how to stay stagnant and, you know, just be consistent and always rise and not drop. You know, we got to continue to elevate and you know, we can't have any hiccups in our process."
So, whether it's a current player or current quarterback playing or a past quarterback, who would you want to catch a touchdown pass the most from?
Oh, actually, I kind of want to catch a pass from like a Brett Favre. I heard he used to sling that ball."
For more on the Panthers and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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